Mary Ann (Rolf) Everest

Mary Ann Everest

Died October 31, 2020

Life is a gift.

We are called to live it well.

Mom did exactly that.

She was born in Edmonton, Alberta, the second child of what became a large family, and, being the oldest daughter, quickly took on many of the mothering roles to her brothers and sisters and helped out with the steady stream of relatives and friends who came to visit.

Trained as a nurse at The General Hospital in Edmonton, she came to Jasper to begin her career as one of the nurses in the Seton Hospital when it was run by the Sisters of Charity. She loved working with all of the sisters, doctors and patients, and had a particular soft spot for the moms and the babies. It was in Jasper that she met Roy, who was then with The Hudson’s Bay. They married and a year later their first child was born; within 10 years she and dad had 5 more children. Mom and Dad were together for over 65 years.

She was a constant, in the background, ready and available to care for others. She put her family first, always. And when we step back, as adults, and look at all she managed to accomplish with so little, we realize how much she has done for all of us. She was involved in the new and growing family businesses, taught herself to do the books for the stores, a job she did for many decades, with the care and precision that really exemplify who she was. She had high expectations for herself and her children, and she had a large brood to look after—along with her 6 kids, Dad and Dad’s dad—she managed it all, without complaint, in the bungalow we lived in. When we moved to the bigger house, she had a stone pathway lined with lobelia, and a large garden with vegetables and flowers.  Somehow, she still found the time to be the mom who we respected and loved, and even more. She was a fantastic cook, especially well known for her homemade soup that was always simmering in a pot on the stove, and her peanut butter cookies just out of the oven, and magnificent birthday cakes that had nickels wrapped in paper and baked for the lucky children to find.   

She loved the mountains and all of the beauty that they offered. I remember the many trips to Cavell, Tonquin, Maligne (either on the skidoo with Dad and her kids all on skis being towed behind or hiking various summer trails) and of course skiing at Whistler and then Marmot.

She was a devout Catholic and was very involved in the church. She taught catechism, trained altar girls, and was a member of the Jasper CWL.

She was an amazing woman, but she never bragged, never complained, and when times were hard, she said “you put one foot in front of the other and keep going.”

She kept us fed, happy and taught us well. More than anything, she was who she was, and remained always and ever absolutely devoted to Dad.

She passed away on Oct 31, 2020, under a full moon, a blue moon, an apogee moon with family at her side. May her spirit be taken quickly. We will love her always.

She is survived by her husband Roy; her children Clare, Ned, Joan, Beth, and Pat; her grandchildren Jordan, Tyson, Ian, Andrea, Charlene, Katelyn, Emily, Maddy, Roland and Mira; her great grandchildren Lachlan, Rowan and William; her sister Vicki, and brothers Ron and Bob. She is predeceased by her youngest son Roy Jr; her sister Penny and brothers John David, Michael, and Dick; and her parents Henry and Clara.

There will be a small private family funeral this week, and a larger celebration of her life and memorial/remembrance at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations could be made to one of Mom’s favorite charities:

• toolsforschools.org
• Jasper Healthcare Foundation, Box 235, Jasper, AB, T0E1E0

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