After our last Mother’s Day together, Mary made a peaceful departure on Monday, May 12, 2025, at the age of 87, with her daughter holding her hand.
Preceded in death by her husbands the late Robert Young, the late Marcel Jolie and the late Harold Long.
Lovingly remembered by her children, Della-Marie (Mark) Caccamo (late John Fletcher) (late Tom Iley), the late Ramona Young, Rob Young (Cindy Chartrand), Angelisa Mills (late Mario Bigras) and step children Gary Jolie (late Judy), Kathleen Merritt and Randy (Debbie) Long, Alan (Jo-Anne) Long, late Gary (Joan) Long, late Kevin (Bonnie) Long, Ruth Johnson, Debbie (Bill) Michaud and Greg (Tammy) Long.
Her favourite people call her Granny. Jodie (Peter) Larsen, Jennille Fletcher (Chris Stoycheff), Jessica (Sean) McCarthy, Julia (Lance) Richards, Robert McGregor, Ryan (Brittney) Gaines, Riley 'Stormi' (Tyson) Clampett, Deryl (Stephanie) Mills, Deralise (Ian) Senecal, Jennifer Jolie (Zack Low), Sharon Case Jolie, Dan (Julie) Case and Patty (Dean) Petty.
Adored Granny (great) to James Fletcher, Ben and Sophie Larsen, Claire and Christopher Stoycheff, Delia, Dean and Fletcher McCarthy, Lincoln and Lennon Richards, as well as Dylan and Logan McGregor, Cooper and Cameron Gaines, Kayden Clampett, Brooke and Brynlea Mills, Drew and Dallas Senecal, Brett, Kirsten and AJ Case, Mitchell and Morgan Burns, Kierra Case, Nicholas Dietrich-Case and Teagan Case, Hillary, Jane and Thomas Case, Landon, Mackenzie, Abigail and Olivia Petty and six great-great-grandchildren.
Daughter of the late Charles 'Birnie' Hotchkiss and the late Della (nee Bailey) Hotchkiss. Sister of the late Dean (late Kay) Hotchkiss, the late Ruth Peckham (late Ed Wawrzyniak) (late Roy Peckham), the late David (late Verna) Hotchkiss, Elizabeth (late Ray) Lock of Niagara Falls, ON, the late Tim (Beth) Hotchkiss of Port Elgin ON, and Martha (late Dirk) Brobbel of Kelowna BC and infant brothers Lyle, Daniel, and Peter.
Born in Thessalon, Mary moved to Sault Ste Marie as a child and was a proud northern girl all her life. After God, family was the most important aspect of Mary's life, an example set by her own beloved parents. Throughout her long and distinguished life, she was an active member of the Church of Christ.
Mary had an amazing sense of humour, a contagious laugh, coupled with charm and wit which endured her entire life. She was a good woman with a beautiful, kind soul.
As a young mother, Mary opened her heart and home to foster and adopt children. A hard working, tenacious and talented woman who, like her mother filled our bellies with homemade food, fresh baked bread, sewed our clothing and kept us warm with her knitting. We learned the virtues of faith, hope, charity, hard work, compassion, honesty and integrity.
As an adult, Mary returned to school and graduated in 1978 from the Sault College Diploma Nursing Program. In 1984, she graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Lake Superior State University.
A respected community nurse, Mary proudly worked her entire career with the local Victorian Order of Nurses. Over the years, Mary volunteered using her professional skills to provide palliative nursing support to numerous family and friends, as well as a Camp Quality nurse for children with cancer. Despite her fear of flying, Mary traveled twice to China as part of a cleft lip/cleft palate medical mission team.
Along with Marcel, Mary was a long-time supporter of our local Soup Kitchen. For decades, Mary was the family historian and authored and published genealogy and family history books for the Hotchkiss, Bailey and Jolie families.
For over 70 years, Mary was friends with Mary and the late Frank Vanderloo. With Marcel, the four of them were best friends. For 23 years, their annual hunting expeditions resulted in countless memories, great stories and a few tall tales. Since childhood, Mary and her neighbourhood friend Marie (Tuumanen) Ross have remained in contact.
Instilled by her parents, she had a reverence for nature and preferred being outdoors. Mary loved birding, walking and absorbing the quiet beauty of the earth. She loved to till the soil by hand for her gardens. Last summer, Mary delighted in growing tomatoes and vegetables in a garden box at Pathways and enjoyed conversations with gardening friend Ken. It filled her soul with joy to see her grandchildren and great grandchildren with their own gardens.
To Pathways Retirement Residence, Mary's home for the past two years, thank you for your kindness and care and the option to live her final days in her lovely apartment. Special thanks to those staff members who went out of their way for Mary. To the dear residents, neighbours and friends at Pathways, especially Shirley, Irene, Marie, Pauline and Neil, thank you for the friendship and laughter.
To our community health professionals, Kelsey Kelly NP, Dr John Fabbro DDS, Manuel dos Reis and the Medicine Shoppe team, Algoma Geriatric Clinic and BSO, thank you. Mary’s life was enriched because of you. To our treasure, Leah Simon RN (Paramed), thank you for your professional and compassionate care over the past two years. Mary sure loved and appreciated you. To our angel, Dr Karen Booth, your exceptional guidance and support, in ensuring Mary remained comfortable at home, and with the grace and dignity she so deserved, is greatly appreciated and will never be forgotten.
A heartfelt thank you to dearest friend Mary Vanderloo for your daily phone calls which meant the world to Mary and also to Della-Marie. To the granddaughters that surrounded their precious Granny with a harmony of love in her final weeks, you are truly a blessing and her departure would not have been as peaceful without you.
Family and friends are invited to visit at the Arthur Funeral Home - Barton & Kiteley Chapel (492 Wellington Street East; 705-759-2522) on Friday, May 30, 2025 from 6 pm until 8 pm. The funeral service will take place at Arthur Funeral Home - Barton & Kiteley Chapel on Saturday, May 31, 2025 at 11 am with Phillip Bailey officiating. You may also go to www.funeraweb.tv and select Mary's name to view the service online starting at 10:55 am. The service can be viewed anytime up to 90 days. Mary will be laid to rest at Laird Cemetery beside the love of her life Marcel Jolie. If desired, memorial donations can be made in Mary's memory to the Sault Community Soup Kitchen, Algoma Residential Community Hospice (ARCH) (payable by cheque or online) or to Pinehill Church of Christ.
Please visit www.arthurfuneralhome.com obituaries section to leave a message of condolence as a keepsake for the family.
“To love a person is to learn the song in their heart, and sing it to them when they have forgotten.” ~ Anne Garborg
And I will try to connect
All the pieces you left
I will carry it on
And let you forget
And I'll remember the years
When your mind was clear
How the laughter and life
Filled up this silent house
~The Chicks