Mary Hinings

Mary Hinings (nee Brown) died peacefully at Origin at Spring Creek

in Canmore. She leaves behind her husband of nearly 65 years, Rob, her daughters Rachel (Ralph), Ruth (Mark) and Sarah (Leanne): also,

8 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren, Charlotte (Colton, Finn, Arlo), Paul (Kristine, Kara, Evelyn), Joey (Crystal, Jonah), Hannah (Cody), Bronte (Bea), Zachary (Becca), Matthew (Abby), and Thomas.

Mary was born in Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire, UK. At the age

of 16 she moved to Barkingside, London, to work in Dr. Barnado's Childrens Village Homes and qualified as a Nursery Nurse (Early Childhood Development). Later she moved to the North Middlesex Hospital, Edmonton, London, and qualified as a State Registered Nurse. There she discovered a passion for obstetrics and gynecology which led to her becoming a Midwife at the Leeds Maternity Hospital.

Mary and Rob Hinings married on August 29th, 1959, first living in Leeds, then London and in 1961, settling in Birmingham for the next 20 years. Initially, Mary stayed at home until her youngest child started school at which point she went back into nursing. In 1972 Mary began working in Family Planning at the Brook Advisory Clinics across Birmingham. As well as doing nursing work in the clinics, she discovered a talent for making presentations and began giving talks in schools, to parent groups, on marriage preparation courses on family planning. She flung herself wholeheartedly into this work.

At the end of 1982, Mary and Rob emigrated to Canada, moving to Edmonton, Alberta. Mary approached Planned Parenthood, Edmonton, to work as a volunteer, but ended up being offered the job of Assistant Education Director! Again, she launched herself into making presentations on family planning to the same kinds of groups, but also to Life Skills courses in prisons. In 1989 she resigned from Planned Parenthood and for two years managed a store on Whyte Avenue in Edmonton.

In 1991, Mary and Rob began a 15 year period as members of St. Paul's Anglican Church in Edmonton, and, as usual, Mary became very involved. She was the Director of St. Paul's Christian Care Centre, and organized the prayer counselling ministry as well as hosting a Home Fellowship group.

In 2006, Mary and Rob moved to Okotoks where they were members of St. Peter's Anglican Church. Mary became a regular part of the prayer ministry during their 17 years in Okotoks.

Sadly, from the beginning of 2018, it became clear that Mary was developing dementia. By late 2020 she needed considerable care and Rob was her primary caregiver until it became necessary to move to Origin at Spring Creek to access more care in May, 2023.

Central to Mary's life was her love for her children and grandchildren and their spouses and partners. Mary passed before her great grandchildren had the opportunity to experience the full capacity of her love. She had a very special ability to love her family, but also those outside her family. Mary touched many, many lives.

We would like to thank the staff at Origin for the compassion, their love and their care of Mary, and their support for Rob, over the last 16 months. It has shown that our move to Origin was the right choice.

There was a memorial service held at St. Michael's Anglican Church, Canmore, September 14, 2024. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Effect Hope, Canada, (previously the Leprosy Mission) a charity dear to Mary's heart.

Services provided by Russ Reynolds and Bow River Funeral Service.