Margaret Mary Bellis, Mamie to her friends and family, was born May 23, 1951, in Middleton Nova Scotia. The second of six children, Mamie learned early the value of sharing and caring, traits that defined her whole life.
Although she was a great reader, Mary didn’t like school much and as a result,was a pretty average student. But that all changed when she found her mission and her passion in nursing school in Lethbridge Alberta where she graduated in 1973. Everyone who knew Mamie says she was born to her profession, efficient and disciplined, but most importantly with a compassionate instinct for what her patients needed even when they could not say so. And she was the consummate pediatric nurse caring for the most vulnerable children, and their anxious parents, throughout her five decades in nursing.
Mary had a close gang of nursing friends with whom she shared the ups and downs of a demanding and often stressful workplace. These women had a true bond that only develops from that kind of sharing and Mamie had a wonderful social life in that warm, supportive, and slightly wacky group. Karen, who shared both the nursing school experience and then the fledgling years of nursing in Kamloops, has many funny stories to tell of their adventures in Mamies big white van, “the Van” to all who knew her.
Ah yes the Van. Many are unaware of Mamie’s adventurous side and might be surprised to know that the first thing she did on graduation was to undertake a solo cross Canada trip in that Van, visiting relatives and friends but also hunting out every aviation museum across the land, because Mary shared her father’s passion for all things aeronautical. Indeed, another lesser-known fact is that Mamie got her light plane license shortly after her return to Vancouver to work at Sick Kids. That was an adventure!
Mamie also loved to travel with family and friends, often to Mexico. She took Mommy on a memorable journey around Ireland after Daddy died, stopping at any pub offering live fiddling, singing, and dancing which they no doubt joined in. Thinking of Mamie driving those narrow lanes on the wrong side of the road in a standard is a bit harrowing, even now. Her more notable recent travel was with her nursing buddies “glamping” in yurts on the Oregon coast where they walked endlessly on the white dunes, prepared wonderful meals, and simply shared the joys of close companionship.
Mamie loved walking and gardening. But what she really loved was shopping, not for herself but for gifts large and small for everyone in her life. Her generosity was legendary. Her nieces and nephews remember that she never arrived without some small but special thing for each of them. Mamie was incapable of arriving for a meal without flowers, appetizers, sweets, or big batches of organic baby carrots because a nephew had once said he liked them. And her gifts were always special and often wacky. From twenty pairs of Team Canada gloves for her nephew’s school class to a bag of 100 used pens or beautiful hand-tooled evening bags to arcane kitchen utensils, no one could guess what treasure would come next.
One didn’t need to wonder where she found such treasures because Mary was the original “thrifter” before it became a trend. It was usually on such trips that she indulged her unique sartorial style. Mamie had more tartan and plaid items in her wardrobe than would be found in a small Scottish village. Top to toe, hats, gloves, coats, dresses, shirts, the variety was endless. Memorably, on a sisters outing to a high-end consignment shop where other purchases included an exquisite hand-painted scarf and magenta ballerina flats, Mamie slipped out to the Sally Ann next door and returned with Stewart tartan rubber boots. She was a wonder.
But Mary gave much more than presents, she gave the best of herself, particularly to children. Her nieces remember joining her on long walks at Pat Bay with one or other of her big dogs shambling after, as they picked the blackberry bushes clean. And how Mamie would gather the kids around on the floor of the cottage to tell made up stories in which every child became a character. That was Mary. She could be goofy or sweet but always attuned to each child as an individual even in a group.
Sharing and caring. It defined Mary throughout her life. That unqualified generosity and compassion will remain in the memory of all who knew her.
A private service was held on February 9, 2021. A celebration of life will be held when it is safe to do so.
Donations in her memory to any of her favourite charities are welcome spca.bc.ca, Worldvision.ca, or wwf.ca