Élisabeth Bruyère Palliative Care Unit, 4 November 2021
For reasons understood only by God Himself, our beloved Cynthia was called away in the afternoon of 4 November 2021. She’d had a good life, well spent with her husband, Roy, who loved her dearly ever since they met as teenagers in Fort Churchill, Manitoba.
Cynthia was born in the Halifax Infirmary in 1948 and grew up in Herring Cove, a small fishing village a short distance from Halifax. Her father worked for the Department of Public Works and was posted to northern Manitoba in 1964 where Cynthia first met Roy. Thanks to one of Roy’s many missteps, that first meeting was clearly not love-at-first-sight. However, after five years of courting, Roy finally matured enough to mail Cynthia an engagement ring and they were wed in 1969.
Because of Roy’s military service and many postings to such places as Inuvik, Gander, Ottawa, and Bermuda as well as isolated postings and courses, Cynthia, like most military wives, was forced to raise the family, pay the bills and pack up and move the family many times, sometimes on her own.
She enjoyed her years working in the retail industry and most of her long time friends were made while working with Zellers and Giant Tiger. She cherished those friendships until the end. Although her love for her family exceeded all others, she also loved to write and spent many hours expressing her emotions through poetry.
Cynthia was predeceased by her father, Aubrey Pelham, her mother Marguerite (née McAvoy) and brother, Robert (at 20) as well as three brothers, Paul, Joseph and Andrew who died as infants. She leaves behind husband Roy and daughters Natasha Vaz (Len) and Sarah Marsaw (Nick). Her three sisters, Jennifer Henwood (Jack), Betty Goodall (Chuck) and Pat Gallop (Reg) reside in Winnipeg. She loved all of her grandchildren, Julien, Olivia, Kelsey, Justin, Hannah and Rose and great-grandchild, Gus. She knew they loved her as well.
The family will be happy to receive friends and relatives at McEvoy-Shields Funeral Home, 1411 Hunt Club Road (at Albion Road) on Friday, 12 November 2021 beginning at 9:30 AM. Cynthia has requested a funeral liturgy, which will be conducted at 10:30 AM followed by a reception immediately following the service. Capacity restrictions are no longer in effect; however, proof of double vaccination will be required to participate.
Her obituary may be viewed at https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/ottawa-on/cynthia-marsaw-pelham-10432359
We wish to acknowledge the tremendous support and dedication of the staff at the Élisabeth Bruyère PCU. They ensured that Cynthia was comfortable, pain free and peaceful during her final weeks. Instead of flowers, we would greatly appreciate donations be made to the Élisabeth Bruyère Foundation at www.bruyere.org/give in memory of Cynthia Marsaw.
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Cynthia Anastasia Marsaw (Pelham), age 73, passed away at
Élisabeth Bruyère Palliative Care Unit, 4 November 2021
For reasons understood only by God Himself, our beloved Cynthia was called away in the afternoon of 4 November 2021. She’d had a good life, well spent with her husband, Roy, who loved her dearly ever since they met as teenagers in Fort Churchill, Manitoba.
Cynthia was born in the Halifax Infirmary in 1948 and grew up in Herring Cove, a small fishing village a short distance from Halifax. Her father worked for the Department of Public Works and was posted to northern Manitoba in 1964 where Cynthia first met Roy. Thanks to one of Roy’s many missteps, that first meeting was clearly not love-at-first-sight. However, after five years of courting, Roy finally matured enough to mail Cynthia an engagement ring and they were wed in 1969.
Because of Roy’s military service and many postings to such places as Inuvik, Gander, Ottawa, and Bermuda as well as isolated postings and courses, Cynthia, like most military wives, was forced to raise the family, pay the bills and pack up and move the family many times, sometimes on her own.
She enjoyed her years working in the retail industry and most of her long time friends were made while working with Zellers and Giant Tiger. She cherished those friendships until the end. Although her love for her family exceeded all others, she also loved to write and spent many hours expressing her emotions through poetry.
Cynthia was predeceased by her father, Aubrey Pelham, her mother Marguerite (née McAvoy) and brother, Robert (at 20) as well as three brothers, Paul, Joseph and Andrew who died as infants. She leaves behind husband Roy and daughters Natasha Vaz (Len) and Sarah Marsaw (Nick). Her three sisters, Jennifer Henwood (Jack), Betty Goodall (Chuck) and Pat Gallop (Reg) reside in Winnipeg. She loved all of her grandchildren, Julien, Olivia, Kelsey, Justin, Hannah and Rose and great-grandchild, Gus. She knew they loved her as well.
The family will be happy to receive friends and relatives at McEvoy-Shields Funeral Home, 1411 Hunt Club Road (at Albion Road) on Friday, 12 November 2021 beginning at 9:30 AM. Cynthia has requested a funeral liturgy, which will be conducted at 10:30 AM followed by a reception immediately following the service. Capacity restrictions are no longer in effect; however, proof of double vaccination will be required to participate.
The ceremony will also be available virtually at https://funeraweb.tv/en/diffusions/40318
We wish to acknowledge the tremendous support and dedication of the staff at the Élisabeth Bruyère PCU. They ensured that Cynthia was comfortable, pain free and peaceful during her final weeks. Instead of flowers, we would greatly appreciate donations be made to the Élisabeth Bruyère Foundation at www.bruyere.org/give in memory of Cynthia Marsaw.
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