Obituary of Mary Kathleen Morrissey

Morrissey, Mary Her journey of over 96 years coming to a peaceful end, Mary Kathleen Morrissey passed away at home in London, Ontario on June 16, 2020. Throughout her life she was many things: a fiercely competitive bridge player, an accomplished artist, an avid historian, a dedicated volunteer to numerous causes, a lover of literature and games of all sorts, and a dear friend to many. To her family she was love, intelligence, determination, curiosity, care, wisdom, beaming pride and a healthy dose of parental worry, personified: she was “the beautiful and talented Maria” to her loving husband of 54 years, the late Honourable Martin Morrissey, Q.C.; “Mom” to her children Elizabeth (David Black) of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, Deidre (Malcolm Ruddock) of Grand Bend, and Theresa (Stephen Jarrett) and Paul (Mimi Dancy) of London; “Grandma” to Adam, Michael, Peter, Jennifer, John, Patrick, Joseph, Brendan, James, John, Peter, Luke, Callum and Emma; and “Ma Mere” to her eleven great-grandchildren, Sadie, Lillian, Eleanor, Freddie, Owen, Everett, Claire, Elizabeth, Benjamin, Kate and Will. The devoted daughter of the late Sydney and Ruth Crocker of Blessed Sacrament Parish in Toronto, she is predeceased by her dear sister Patricia Margison and daughter-in-law Mary Jo Morrissey, and leaves behind nieces and nephews for whom she cared deeply. A graduate of the University of Toronto with Honours, she was a teacher before her marriage to Martin, who first noticed her at a St. Michael’s College Newman Club Christmas party. Upon their marriage in 1951, they moved to London, relocating to Mississauga in 1980 and returning to London in 2000. Always the teacher, Mary patiently coached her children through essays and exams and supported them in their tribulations, all the while engaging in many volunteer activities. As her children grew, she rekindled the artistic passions of her youth at Beal Art and with natural talent she quickly progressed to showings of her watercolours in London and Mississauga, and acquisitions of her paintings by public and private collectors. In more recent years, she was proud of her duplicate bridge victories, which she continued to amass well into her 97th year, but far more proud of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren in Ontario, British Columbia and Michigan, with whom she loved to play games and share memories and stories of her ancestors. Only a few days have passed and the ink on the Sudoku puzzles is barely dry, but she is deeply missed already, and will be forever so, but always with a smile. Sincere thanks to Dr. Greg Gillis and the dedicated and patient care givers at Amica London, Extended Families and SE Health. Private family service; condolences may be expressed in writing or by donations to London Health Sciences Foundation or Museum London Foundation.