Mary Pauline (Britton) Barrett-Lenz

Mary passed away June 13, 2022, aged 96, at Sherbrooke Community Centre. She was born in Eston, SK on November 25, 1925 and grew up on the family farm of her parents Arthur Britton and May (Webb) Britton. She had many happy memories of her childhood, sharing special times with her two brothers Bill and Arthur (Art). Theirs was a very musical family: Her mother taught piano; Bill played keyboards; Art became a renowned violinist and professional jazz saxophonist; and Mary was a star on the piano. She moved to Saskatoon to study under Lyell Gustin and became an exceptional classical pianist. She was a member of the Musical Art Club of Saskatoon for many years, a recital club that met monthly at Gustin House at 512-10th Street, which is now a heritage site. A trip to New York on a music scholarship in 1945 was one of the highlights of her life. She was a choir leader and organist at Second Street United Church and a certified adjudicator at music festivals for many years.

She married Donald Vermont Barrett on January 29, 1949. They shared a busy life in Saskatoon, raising five boys, and Mary taught a legion of students on the grand piano in their home. The story goes that when the stress of teaching piano and raising five rambunctious boys got to her, Mary’s doctor recommended she take up smoking to calm her nerves.

Mary and Don celebrated 50 years of marriage before Don’s death in 2000. She later connected with John Lenz, a childhood friend from the Eston area. They married in 2005 and shared almost 10 years of companionship.

Until the last few months of her life, Mary was never far from the piano and in spite of deteriorating vision and hearing in her later years, she could still bang out an old popular song from the war years or a Rachmaninoff on the keyboards with absolute perfection—often taking her hearing aids out and tossing them on the piano to play by feel.

Mary was a strong, amazing woman and a big influence on her much-loved grandchildren. She had a phenomenal memory and never forgot a birthday.

Mary was predeceased by her husband, Don Barrett (2000), sons David (2004) and Mark (2009), second husband, John Lenz (2014), brothers Bill (2009) and his wife, Beryl (2004), and Art (2012) and his wife, Genny (1992), nephew Miles Britton (2007) and niece, Andrea Britton Taylor (2015).

Mary is survived by her sons Bruce Barrett (Elaine Kergoat), Dan (Debbie) Barrett and Kevin (Jackie) Barrett and daughter-in-law, Dolores Barrett (Mark’s wife). She will be lovingly remembered by 15 grandchildren: Blaire Barrett (David Nodge), Karmen (Kohl) Currie, Danielle Barrett, Jaclyn (Dane) Young, Vanessa (Mitch) Dean, Angie (Stewart) Ferguson, Michelle Barrett, Brianna (Kyle) Patterson, Jessica (Paul) Motley, Amy (Brady) Hood, Jayne Barrett (Scott Drucker), Matthew (Amber) Hardy, Lauren Hardy (Matt Fuhr), Giuseppe Almeida and Josiah (Chad) Prouten. She is also survived by 21 great grandchildren and 1 great-great grandaughter. She will be fondly remembered by her niece Jan (Blair) Gullickson and nephews Bob (Sharon) Britton and Lee (Deb) Britton.

A Come and Go celebration of the life of Mary Barrett-Lenz (nee Britton) will be held on Saturday September 17 at 1:00 p.m. lower level of Windsor Chapel (704 Windsor Street, Saskatoon).

Arrangements entrusted to Aime Laventure.