Obituary of Mabel Mary McMenemy

After breakfast, on the morning of June 14, 2021, Mabel, left to meet a friend at Beazley Sports Field in Dartmouth by 09h30. Each weekday, weather permitting, they would meet and walk around the track there. This time she didn’t come home. She had a cardiac event, was ambulanced to Dartmouth General Hospital and had passed away by 13h28 after her husband, Mack, son, Seán, daughter, Erin and daughter-in-law, Jennifer had spent some time saying goodbye to her. Mabel was born in Halifax on April 19, 1943, to Elmer and Gladys (Jones) Shiers, both deceased. She was also predeceased by her only sibling, Leonard. Mabel was sickly child and missed almost a full year of elementary school. Nonetheless, she was heavily involved in Brownies and Guiding, attending many campouts, and earning lots of badges. She also was a competitive highland dancer well into her teens. It was as a teenager that Mabel met Mack on September 13, 1957, at a Darteen dance in Prince Arthur Junior High School gym. Each was attracted to the other and it is tempting to say, “The rest is history!” Yes, but what a history! They dated for 8 years then were married on September 04, 1965, amidst rumours that a child was on the way. And he was. . . arriving in January 1973. Seán was blessed with a sister, Erin, in September 1976. Mabel did lab work for the federal Dept. of Fisheries for 35 years, the last several years as a virologist. As a federal employee she became involved in her union and was on several national committees that were striving to improve working conditions for the crews of the fisheries vessels and women in labs. She was a shop steward and a local union president. As a fierce feminist, she strongly believed in and supported pay equity and equal treatment in the workplace and argued for those goals forcefully and coherently and with dignity. Mabel was a Beta Sigma Phi Sorority Sister for over 50 years. She hated to miss sorority meetings and she participated fully by holding several chapter offices. She was separated from her church for a while but has had a strong connection for the last several years and has found joy and peace there. She was also an active member of the Gold Wing Road Riders Association, a motorcycle organization, and held some leadership positions within it. Mabel was most frustrated by the pandemic closure of Cole Harbour Place which prevented her from meeting with her water-fit buddies several times each week then chat over coffee afterward. Mabel despised the cold and used her union skills to convince Mack that they needed to go south for the winter after they retired. They did that until 2018 when the political climate in the United States made them uncomfortable so they sold their place and spent the last couple of winters at home. Our mother and my wife, Mabel, had a lot of “loves.” She loved her family fiercely, including the grand-dogs, Fergus & Duke, and most recently our own rescue, Harlee. Regardless of how difficult we made things for her, and we did from time to time, she responded with concern, caring, and understanding. Over 55 years of marriage, the number of times that I (Mack) caused her to be truly angry with me was remarkably few. Somehow, she almost always was able to work around me and made me feel good that she did. As a mother, she was protective of her children, even well into their adulthood. She would challenge anyone if she thought that they were being unfair to either of them. That is not to say that she didn’t see their faults. She did! But she saw their strengths and virtues and focused on those. Mabel used the same lens to see others as well. She did not like confrontation. When, occasionally, she disagreed with someone she would give them a face-saving out. She was the same way with her friends, of which she had many, both men and women who often mentioned what a great friend Mabel was and how she had assisted them by word or deed. Speaking of deeds, Mabel was renowned for her ability to remember hearing a person say they were looking for some thing then finding that thing, maybe months later, buying it and presenting it to the surprised individual. Mabel was a clever woman with a lot of practical knowledge about health and healing, among many other things. She literally saved my life twice. She was often asked for health advice by her friends, and she would share her knowledge freely but didn’t hesitate to admit if she didn’t know. Besides being a career woman, a wife, a mother and a good friend, Mabel was a great homemaker, crafter and, in her youth, a rally car driver. She made dresses for weddings and special occasions for friends and family. She hemmed and adjusted clothes, made cloth parcel carriers for wheelchairs and created costumes. She spent hours making quilts for Seán and Erin and for our bed. She relaxed by knitting socks, mittens, and scarfs. Almost every fall Mabel and I made berry jellies and pickles. She was also a talented food preparer and a wonderful baker. She always volunteered to provide something for bake sales, church dinners or potluck events. Vertically challenged, Mabel was a big hearted, giving woman. She loved gardening and could name many plants by sight. She was an avid reader and enjoyed National Geographic-type TV programs about nature and animals (except spiders and snakes). Since 2000 Mabel had an addiction… Motorcycling! Riding on the back of their motorcycle, she has travelled to 48 states and 10 Canadian provinces, some of them several times. Together, they had some scary experiences, but they also shared many more joyous adventures and met some wonderful people along the way. Mabel’s greatest weakness was she loved a bargain. She collected coupons, attended yard and garage sales, and organized her grocery shopping to take advantage of any sales that fit into her needs and to save money. Frugal took on a new meaning when Mabel practiced it. We (Seán & Jenn, Erin and Mack) discussed what we should include in our tribute to their mother and my wife. We laughed at some memories that were recalled and shed tears when we realized that she was gone. We are resentful that we didn’t have more time with her to let her know how much she was loved and appreciated. However, we are thankful that she passed quickly, with minimal pain and after we had a brief opportunity to say goodbye and kiss her one last time. Arrangements have been entrusted to T. J. Tracey Cremation and Burial Specialists, 71 McQuade Lake Crescent, Halifax, 902-835-4212. To leave words of comfort and condolences for the family please visit, www.tjtracey.com. At her request, her remains have been cremated. Please do not send flowers. A donation to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, a food bank or a charity of your choice in her name would be a suitable alternative.