Mrs. Mary McCracken, aged 87, passed away peacefully at the Port Arthur General Hospital on Saturday, September 13th, 2003. Mary was born and raised in Port Arthur, where she grew up with ten sisters and one brother. To help support her family, Mary began working at Provincial Papers where she met her future husband Don. They were married on September 16th, 1939. After raising her three children, Mary spent many years working at Eaton's in the china department. She belonged to different organizations including the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #5, Ladies of the Moose and the Catholic Women's League. Mary was an excellent artist. Her paintings won numerous awards and have been taken around the world. Mary's outgoing personality, generosity and genuine concern for all of her friends and family held her in high esteem. A typical visit with Mary included good conversation, the latest joke, stories from the "olden" days and something to eat and drink (usually homemade soup with a good cup of tea). A thirty minute visit could easily turn into two hours in the blink of an eye - and it was always time well spent. She enjoyed her neighbors of many decades on Talbot Street - Pat Zirnsak, Jennie Tomiak, Joan Kelley and Josie Telpuk. Mary also treasured the life long friendships that she made, especially with Edie Taylor and Vi Trevisanutto. Nan, as she was commonly referred to, enjoyed spending time at Surprise Lake entertaining and feeding her family and friends. If you came for a visit unannounced you had to stay for something to eat - the more the merrier! On many summer evenings Nan could be seen playing dice with her grandchildren and friends. She also spent many enjoyable times with the Surprise Lake "Golden Girls." She was delighted with her new home at Glacier Ridge, where she made many new friends and was reacquainted with many old ones. The attentive staff and wonderful food made her short time there very pleasant. Mary will be dearly missed by her three children: Jim McCracken (Mary Ann), Bill McCracken (Norma) and Mary-Jane McCracken (Len), her six grandchildren: Cathy Litwentenko, Elizabeth McCracken (Dennis Tinsley), Melissa McCracken, Christy Mann (Adam), Stacy Kuppinen (Ron Boucher), Daniel Kuppinen, Craig Proctor (Connie), Carmen Roberts (Chris), and ten great grandchildren: Chelsey, Crystal, Rachael, Ashley, Makaila, Curyn, Cortlyn, Breann, Merrick, and Tanner. Mary was also survived by her sisters Irene Dahl, June McLeod, Rita Paquette, and Helen Strawson, brothers-in-law Ernie Huggins and Bert Williamson and sister-in-law Eleanor Aquino. She will also be missed by her Anhel family in Edmonton - Alma, Sherry, Ed and Joanne. Mary was predeceased by her parents Silvio and Frances Aquino, her husband Don (1981), her sisters Doris Pratt, Stella Holmes, Julia Huggins, Carmel Williamson and her twin Amelia, brother Jim Aquino, brothers-in-law Bert Dahl, Ray McLeod, Jack Paquette, Reg Holmes, Don Pratt and Bob Strawson and her beloved grandson Kelly Michael McCracken. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, September 16th when family and friends will gather in St. Margaret's Roman Catholic Church for Requiem Mass beginning at 2:00 p.m. celebrated by Rev. Ciaran Donnelly. A private family interment will follow at Riverside Cemetery. Visitation for friends will be held on Monday evening from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. at St. Margaret's Roman Catholic Church with the Vigil Prayers beginning at 7:00 p.m.. In lieu of flowers the family respectfully requests donations to the Kelly McCracken Trauma Center c/o the Thunder Bay Regional Hospital, the Heart and Stroke Foundation or the Canadian Liver Foundation. Arrangements in care of the Sargent & Son Funeral Directors, 21 N. Court Street. On-line condolences may be made at www.sargentandson.com. The dearest Mother, the kindest friend One of the best who God could lend. Loving, thoughtful, gentle and true Always willing, a kind act to do

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