Mary (Fraser) Van De Kerckhove

Mary Van De Kerckhove

(née Fraser)

Peacefully at the Foyer Notre-Dame on Saturday, June 18, 2022, Mrs. Mary Van De Kerckhove passed away at the age of 100 years.

She leaves to cherish her memory her loving children, Diane Vercaigne, Eileen (Bob) McMillan, Ted (Linda) Van De Kerckhove, Bernice (Don) Fraser and Rick (Sheryl) Van De Kerckhove; her grandchildren, Darlene (Murray), Robert (Denise), Charlotte, David (Karen), Terry (Ian), Vernon, Marie (Steve), Christine (Matt), James, Brett and Lauren; her great-grandchildren, Cole, Carter (Kayla), Angela, Andrew, Aiden, Tyler (Taylor), Jesse, Ciaran, Jeffery (Ali), Jerrod (Courtney), Justin, Stephanie, Cameron, Vanessa, Vivienne and Owen; her great-great-grandchildren, Harper, Liliana, Annika, Lachlan, Brennan and Sierra, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

Mary is predeceased by her husband Maurice Van De Kerckhove, her son-in-law Norman Vercaigne, her parents Theodore and Katherine Fraser and all her siblings and in-laws.

Mary was born on a farm in the St. Leon area. Raised a farm girl, she loved horses, rode bare back and could handle a team.  She was educated at Theobault school and went on to complete a Home Economics certificate post secondary. Her teenage years were the 30’s, the depression.  She learned to do without, to appreciate family, friends and community.  Then World War II started.  She learned to accept loss.  As young men left, not to return. 

She married Maurice Van De Kerckhove on October 27, 1942.  She became a farm wife and mother.  By 1945, she had three of her five children.  She never shirked hard work. She ran her house and kids and spent a lot of time in the barn and in her garden.  In 1957 they moved from the Somerset area to north of Treherne, to farm.  Mary started working at the Treherne Hospital in the 1960s as head of the kitchen.  A great job for Mary, as cooking and baking were two of her many loves and she was very good at it.  She enrolled in a Diet Service training course at S.A.I.T. in 1968 and completed in 1970.  She served on the board of the Canadian Society of Nutritional Management and was the president of the Manitoba Chapter 1981-83. She retired from the hospital in 1986.

In her retired life she travelled many parts of the world.  She attended as many of her grandchildren’s special event as she could.  She was active in the C.W.L., the Legion Ladies, Tops, bowling, and ceramics.  She loved her Red Hat Society.  She hand-stitched quilts for all her family.  She gardened and loved to grow flowers. She made her home in Treherne until February of 2022, when she moved to the Foyer in Notre Dame. 

She hosted a fabulous party for her family and friends on April 30, 2022 to celebrate her 100th birthday.  She fell ill shortly after and her frail body couldn’t compete.  She surrendered to God on June 18, 2022.  She did it all.  She loved, she laughed, she always worked hard and instilled that ethic in her family.  100 years well spent.

Funeral Services will be held on Thursday, June 30, 2022, at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in Treherne, MB. Memorial Service beginning at 2:30 p.m. followed by Mass at 3 p.m with Fr. Joseph Tran officiating.

The service will be available to view via Live Streaming. If you would like your name to appear in the guestbook, please email your name to office@afh.ca

Memorial donations can be made to a charity of choice.

Adam’s Funeral Home of Notre Dame de Lourdes, Manitoba in care of arrangements.  Phone 204-248-2201.  To view the service details and leave condolences, please visit www.afh.ca

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