Mary Vivie

Mary passed away peacefully at Russell District Hospital on Tuesday, November 19, 2024 after a brief stay in hospital.

Mary’s was born on January 29, 1938 at Township 15, Range 27 W.I. on Birdtail Reserve to her Parents Alfred Vivie and Helen Benn.  Mary was the first born in her family of three girls. In conversation with Mary’s Sisters, Hilda Smith and Leona Falk, it was explained that their family was divided at an early age when the two younger girls were sent to an orphanage during the time of Indian Residential Schools in Canada.  Mary’s first language was English but she understood some Sioux.  She attended Birdtail Sioux Day School at an early age.

Life was not easy for Mary in her early years when she went to live at Manitoba School for Girls in Portage La Prairie Manitoba and the Convent in St. Lazare Manitoba.

In 1980, Mary came to reside in Birtle Manitoba where she spent years visiting with her many friends and family and enjoying all the positive aspects of small-town living attending Birtle Canada Day Celebrations, Parades and weekly Bingos.  Mary often walked 6 miles to visit her Uncle who lived out of town.

In the Summer of 2016 Mary visited her sisters in San Antonio Texas. The ladies toured and reunited but Mary told her Sisters “It is too hot here, I’m going back to Canada.  I might have a stroke”. The sisters kept in contact via telephone on many occasions.

Mary later moved to Banner County Court in Russell Manitoba where she lived independently for many years. Mary often fed others who had little food, making them meals to take home.  She was a kind and giving person. Mary could hold her own though, and if anything was important enough to her, she let you know where you stood.

Later in life, Parkland Regional Community Linc (Parkland Linc) began offering Supported Independent Living Services to assist Mary with her daily living. As she was an impeccable housekeeper, it was very important to her that her home and herself were neat as a pin.

Mary moved to her Parkland Linc residence at 420 Arsini Street, Russell in August 2020 where she lived with her room mates and was assisted by Parkland Linc Staff.   Mary loved to go with all her friends to chip Bingo.  At home she enjoyed playing card Bingo, the board game Sorry and coloring beautiful pictures in her books. Last summer, she was overjoyed by the visit from her niece Samantha and Great niece Austyn.

At Parkland Linc Day-Services, she was the Master of the bean bag toss, usually getting the highest score of the game. She enjoyed crafts and all the parties made for all occasions and got along great with all her friends at Parkland Linc. She bowled, loved Linc’s garden - especially the harvest and garden carrots. Just this past year Mary was mini golfing, out for picnics and Yorkton Fair where played games and went on the Merry-go-Round, loving every minute of it.

Staff will miss their chats with Mary at bed-time and the way she would wave and smile, the way she walked with such determination.

Mary is predeceased by her parents Helen Benn and Alfred Vivie and Leaves to mourn:

Sisters Hilda Smith (Bernard Blanke), Leona Falk (William Folk) of San Antonio, Texas; Nieces Tanya Aldridge and Samantha Smith; Great Nieces Tia Aldridge and Austyn Smith and Great Nephew Crispin Smith; her Room mates, her Day-Services Buddies and her Parkland Linc Family.

The following poem was prepared by Mary’s Sisters - Hilda and Leona:

To our Dear Sister Mary,

You left this earth for a better place

When God saw you coming, he held out his arms and said Welcome my Child

And he held you in his arms and said no more pain

Now rest in peace Forever in God’s loving arms