Mary (Mudry) Evenson

July 5, 1918 - Winnipeg, Manitoba

February 19, 2021 - Penticton, British Columbia

On February 19, 2021, at God’s appointed time, He called home our aunt, great aunt, and great-great aunt.  Mary Evenson passed peacefully at Westview Place in Penticton, BC at the age of 102, after living a long and full life.

Mary was born in Winnipeg on July 5, 1918, the eldest of four siblings born to Joseph and Eudokia Mudry.  She was predeceased by her parents, sisters, Sandra Page and Stephanie Wawyn-Stiller and brother John Mudry and her nephew Keith Page.

Mary grew up in the north end of Winnipeg.  She attended Norquay and Aberdeen schools, followed by enrolment in a cooking school in her youth.  Mary was always fiercely independent and determined, leaving Winnipeg in 1959 and travelling to Watson Lake, Yukon where she was employed as a supervisor for the housekeeping staff and short order cook.  It was there that Mary met her husband, Seymour Evenson, a hunter, and prospector. The couple moved to Edmonton, AB and then retired to Penticton BC in 1973, where they shared a home, complete with fruit trees.  When Seymour passed in 1989, Mary moved into a condominium and then in 2007, she moved into an apartment which she shared with her friend, Joe Berube, until his passing in 2018.  Mary was able to live independently until October 2020, with the assistance of Myrna Tischer and her team of volunteers from One Sky Community Resources, Better at Home Program and Home Support through BC Interior Health. She was blessed with good health throughout her life, only to experience a loss of hearing and eyesight in recent years.  Her mind was sharp, and she possessed an interest in others and a keen sense of humour right to the end. 

Mary enjoyed skating and curling in her adult life and was most proud of her creations of petit point and embroidery. She also enjoyed sewing, knitting, crocheting, and baking. Mary kept her mind active doing crossword and jigsaw puzzles well into her 90’s.  She and Joe also enjoyed visits to the casino to play “Ding Ding”.

Mary will be especially missed by her niece Patti Wawyn and partner, Duncan Michie who visited often and with whom she had a close and special relationship.  She is also survived by her nephews, Ken Page (Sharon), Don Mudry (Kerri), Ed Wawyn (Christine) and niece Elaine Strzelbicki (Orest) and their families.  We would also like to mention Jim Mottishaw, Mary’s dear friend with whom she shared a birthday, and who attended to her needs when we weren’t able to do so.