Obituary of Maria Markle

MARY MARKLE – a life well lived! It is with great sadness that Colleen and Brian announce the passing of their mother Mary Markle (nee Jaman) on February 23, 2023, peacefully passing in her sleep at the age of 105 years. Mary was born on February 12, 1918 in Gardenton, Manitoba to Ukrainian parents Iluca and Maria, with siblings John, (named for his brother who died in youth) Nick, Pete, Sophie, Rose, Sam, Lee, Doris, Kay, and Bill. During the Depression of the 1930’s, Mary moved to Toronto, as did most of her sisters, in search of work. (and adventure!) Mary met her husband-to-be John (Ed) Markle when he was a soldier guarding critical infrastructure in Niagara Falls during WW2 – quite a romantic setting! During the war, Mary worked at John Inglis Co. Toronto (in the area of what is now called Liberty Village) making Bren Guns for the military. She was probably the last surviving “Bren Gun Girl,” who were independent women working to support the war effort. After the war, Mary and Ed married and lived in Windsor, Ontario, and had children Brian Markle (now in Toronto with wife Jeannette Markle, nee McDonald) and Colleen Cassano. (Windsor) Mary loved, and will be missed by, her grandchildren Alethea Cassano, Tristan Markle (with partner Anya Shvets), Ariana Markle, and her great-grandchild Grace Connolly, plus one on the way! Thanks to Margot Melson, Frank and Rosa DiPietro, and Susan Nadeau for their loving support for Mary over the years and during her stay at the Village at St. Clair. (also thanks to the personal support workers and to all the staff there for their wonderful daily care of Mary) We were often asked about the secret of our mother’s long life, and besides a healthy diet with a salad every day and good genes, it seemed that her longevity was mostly due to her positive and happy outlook, and the need to be present for her loved ones. She always had a smile and was happy to feed you with your favourite foods, in her Ukrainian family tradition. She was thankful for the bountiful life that we have in the present, recalling the times of her childhood in Manitoba where a great gift was the present of a single orange or apple, and of the times when her parents would invite humbled and hungry Depression travellers to their family table to share dinner. As the Beatles sang “When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me speaking words of wisdom…And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me.” Our mother Mary’s life was well-lived. Let it be.