Obituary of Mary Wyllie
Olive Mary Wyllie (nee Dunn)
Our Lord and Saviour called Mary home on October 1st,2021. Beloved wife of Dr. A. Kenneth Wyllie, Mum to Connie (Steve Naftel), Crystal (Andrew Isaak) and Andrew (Laura Park), Grammy, Nana and Grandma to Eliza, Jamie, Robert, Jonathan, Rachel, Lilly and William, Aunt to Ian, Paul and Gavin Freeman, Maureen Wyllie and many others in the Dunn family from England. Also chosen Mum to Michael and Julia Djan-Sampson and their children Andrew and Julianne in Ghana.
She was born in Redhill, Surrey, England on December 10, 1933. Her parents were Robert Dunn (1973), Olive Crystal Dunn (nee Wright, 1933) and Mary Dunn (nee McWilliams, 1996) and oldest sister to Charles (2000), Robert and Elizabeth.
She graduated as a proud Barts nurse from St Bartholomew’s Hospital London, also becoming a midwife and an Occupational Health Nurse before coming to Canada as a new bride in 1963. She met her “Best Beloved” while Ken was completing a travelling Surgical Fellowship in the UK in the fall of 1962 and they were married the next summer once he returned, fellowships completed. Mary came to Kingston, Ken’s home, as he was offered a position in Plastic Surgery at Queen’s University. Once in Canada, their children arrived and as a busy mother she continued her nursing, obtaining her Canadian credentials as an RN, and then credentials in Intensive Care nursing from St Lawrence College. She was “Dr. Wyllie’s” office nurse and when everyone else would have retired, she became a parish nurse completing a Diploma in Ministry from St. Francis Xavier University. She continued as an active parish nurse even thru this summer.
She became a Girl Guide leader, when her daughters needed a Pathfinder leader. She continued in Guiding as an active member of the 1st Kingston Trefoil Guild.
Countless bowls of soup, meals and cups of tea were shared with strangers who then became dear friends in the family home, always accompanied by a prayer.
With her Best Beloved, Ken, she served the Lord in countless ways including medical missions teaching and witnessing to God’s love in Bangladesh, Ecuador, and many corners of Africa and Asia. Bible classes were organized and run in the family home, in city parks and in the north end of Kingston. With a loving smile and a twinkle in her eye, scripture wallet calendars were given to store clerks and CEO’s alike so the gospel would be proclaimed. Mum took the Great Commission seriously.
Her last mission began this spring as she carried the message of God’s love to those she met along her cancer journey. Many a scripture calendar was given, and a prayer sent with it as she lived 1 Peter 3:15.
To all Mum’s dear friends, thank you. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus.
A funeral service will be held in the chapel of the James Reid Funeral Home, 1900 John Counter Boulevard, on Friday, October 8, 2021 at 10:00 am, followed by the interment at Cataraqui Cemetery. As seating for the service is limited due to Covid restrictions, please call the funeral home at 613-544-3411 to RVSP. The service will be livestreamed for those who cannot attend in person, by using this SERVICE LINK. Social distancing and masks are mandatory.
In lieu of flowers donations to In from the Cold (kingstonhomebase.ca), Camp Iawah (Iawah.com) or Little Cataraqui Conservation Authority (cataraquiconservation.ca) would be greatly appreciated.
