Mavis Tishinski

Mavis passed away peacefully, on April 10, 2026, with her family by her side. She is survived by husband Will, with whom she shared 67 wonderful years. Mavis is also survived by sons, Ted and Tom (Fiona), sister Joan Cowan, brother-in-law Wally Tishinski (Jane), sister in-law Joan Kropelnicki, and granddaughters Autum Robertson (Nathan), and Kelsey Tishinski (Darren). She is also survived by nieces and nephews.

With a rural background, Mavis dreamed of becoming a nurse while boarding with her grandmother and attending grade school in Gainsborough, Saskatchewan. Her grandmother helped people by serving as a midwife in a rural community which created a passion for Mavis to become a nurse.

Mavis graduated from Gainsborough High School in 1956 and then enrolled in the Victoria General Hospital (the “Vic”) School of Nursing. While in her first year as a student at the Vic, Mavis nursed a patient who would set the course in her life. It was an engineering student who was Will Tishinski. What followed was a beautiful courtship leading to a wedding in 1958. That same year Mavis graduated from Nursing School, winning an Award for Bedside Nursing.

Upon graduating, her first nursing position was in the operating room at the Vic. She remained in the operating room until the arrival of their first-born son, Ted in 1961. Her role switched to that of housewife and mother for the next 17 years, during which time a second son, Tom was born in 1964.

Mavis resumed her nursing career in 1978 after completing a mandatory Nursing Refresher Course at Red River Community College. Her choice of employment was at her alma mater, the Vic. She spent the next 30 gratifying years in the ER and operating room. Mavis was one of the original nurses to be trained in laparoscopic surgery. She immensely enjoyed working as a frontline nurse at the Vic.

As a farm girl, Mavis enjoyed gardening and often won awards at local horticultural fairs. There was always fresh food on the table for the family. Sewing, crocheting, quilting and various artistic hobbies such as painting and ceramics kept her busy and fulfilled away from work. In the winter she was an avid curler at The Pembina Curling Club. While Ted and Tom were growing up she was active on the executive of the Fort Garry Community Club running the canteen.

In later years, she also joined the computer generation and took computer classes in the 90s to learn this new technology and gladly shared her new found computer skills with other seniors while “snow birding” in Arizona.

After retirement Mavis and Will enjoyed spending the winters in Hawaii and later in Arizona. Mavis also became active with the Victoria Hospital Nurses Alumnae. In 2023, they were honored to be involved in the support of building the “Tranquility Trail” for mental health care at the Vic.

Mavis always placed family first and foremost, with her unconditional love and support. She always supported Will in his endeavours whereby he often referred to her “as the wind beneath my wings”.

The family thanks Dr. Manon Pelletier at HSC for her genuine compassion during this difficult time.

A Funeral Mass will take place at St. Gianna Catholic Church, 15 Columbia Drive, Winnipeg, at 10:30 am, on Tuesday, April 21, 2026.

To honour the memory of Mavis, and in lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to the Victoria Hospital Foundation. (www.thevicfoundation.ca)