Mary Henrina Ryan, age 90, passed away surrounded by her family at the Mitchell Nursing Home on October 1, 2022. She was the second of 11 children born to the late Carl and Agnes Brockman. She was born in Bruno, Saskatchewan, September 4, 1932. When she was two years old her family moved to Southern Ontario and settled at Gesto. As a young woman she took on a housekeeping job for her uncle Joe Brockman near Kinkora where she met her husband the late Joseph Aloysius Ryan (1998). They were married in 1952 in Essex, Ontario and returned to Kinkora where she became a farmer’s wife, living on the farm until retiring to Mitchell in 2011. She is survived by one brother, Alfons Brockman, two brothers-in-law Chuck Flood and Clem Gagnon. Also survived by five sisters, Bernadine Hamelin, Rosemary Bilyea, Cathy Gainer, Maggie Kelchak and Patty Fekecs and sister-in-law Rosella Brockman. She is also survived by her children, Francis (Theresa), Kinkora, Michael (Danielle), Wingham, Patricia Edmondson (Kevin), Philadelphia (USA), Mary DeBrabandere (Robert), Mitchell, daughter-in-law Penny Ryan, North Bay, Rose Van Bommel, Ingersoll, John (Roxanne), Rannoch, Ann Sawyer (Rob), Mitchell and Joan Calder (Mike)on the home farm, Mitchell. She is survived by 29 grandchildren and 34 great grandchildren. She was predeceased by one daughter Agnes Kinnaird, two sons Joseph and Patrick. She was also predeceased by brothers Richard and Clem, sisters Annie Gagnon and Joan Flood. She was predeceased by all of her husband’s siblings, Sylvester Ryan (Madelyn), Louis Ryan, Margaret Walsh (Joseph), Angela Nicholson (Joseph) and Sister Helen Ryan.
Her Catholic faith meant a lot to her, and she was always giving glory to God. She and her husband and family made a yearly pilgrimage to Martyrs Shrine in Midland and managed to go this past year. She was a 71-year member of the Catholic Women’s League. She loved crocheting and quilting and gifted family members with her handiwork. She went to her grave never knowing which of her children ate the missing butter tarts.
Friends and family are invited to Mary’s visitation on Monday, October 3, 2022 from 6-9 p.m., at the W. G. Young Funeral Home, 430 Huron St, Stratford. (Parish prayers will at 7 p.m.). Mass of Christian burial at St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church (Kinkora), on Tuesday, October 4, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. with visitation from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the Mass. Interment will follow in St. Patrick’s Cemetery (Kinkora). In lieu of flowers and as expressions of sympathy memorial donations may be made to St. Patrick’s Church Cemetery or St. Patrick’s Building Fund through the funeral home. 519.271.7411. www.wgyoungfuneralhome.com
