MARILYN STUDHOLME

Obituaries sometimes seem to be useless things except perhaps for those who want to take a moment after the death of the person to find out some details they didn’t know. Or perhaps they help in a personal grieving process, to remember, or honour, or offer up a prayer of farewell and rest in peace.  These are worthy purposes.

​

But for us, the ‘grieving family,’ they are one last effort to say a few parting words about our mom. For Hal her partner, love and friend of twenty five years, they are an expression of his love and memories of a great lady. In truth, we have been saying, “goodbye” for nearly a decade now, because Marilyn has been dealing, we all have been dealing, with dementia, Alzheimer disease, or some sort of mental deterioration disease for that long. Now her trial has ended at last. So we offer up these last words of loving goodbye. Rest in the palm of God’s hand and in our memories dear one.

​

To you, acquaintances and friends, some of the details of the life of a unique and very special person:

​

Always a proud Newfoundlander, Marilyn was born in Grand Falls in July 1945 to Mildred and Frank Niddery. She was, as she called it, ‘an Air Force Brat’ as her father was a Sargent in the RCAF. The family was typical of military families as there were numerous moves across the country, from the Maritimes to Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and finally BC at CFB Comox. They eventually ended in Vancouver where Frank retired from the services. Marilyn and her brothers, Bob, Alan and Wayne loved the moves and relished every change of residence and situation. Mom Mildred was not so enchanted!

​

In her late teens Marilyn entered the St. Joseph’s School of Nursing in Victoria where she lived in residence and took her training. After graduation she nursed in Vancouver doing work in various services with infants, children, mentally ill adults and the elderly. She married soon after starting her career and left it to support her husband Warren to complete his education. That eventually had them move to Winnipeg where she again took up her career for a brief period at Children’s Hospital. She absolutely loved working with infants. When their first baby came along the career was again set aside to raise Maureen and then Michael. Marilyn built her life around her children, neighbourhood friends, and mothers of nearby families.  She concentrated her life on her son and daughter, especially doing volunteer work in their schools. She and Warren became avid Round and Square dancers as their major recreation.

​

When the marriage ended after 29 years Marilyn did not renew her Nursing career but went to work as  a home care worker in rural areas north east of Winnipeg. Despite bad roads, winter storms and car troubles she loved the work and the people she loyally served. Four years later she renewed a friendship with Hal Studholme who also had been involved in dancing with his late wife, Josie. They married and began a new phase in their lives. With Hal she became an active member of St. Alphonsus Roman Catholic Church and took on a number of lay ministries including serving Eucharist and becoming part of a team teaching adult Catechism. They became active in the dance scene again and eventually established a round dance club of their own, Hal-Mar Rounds, which lasted eight years with a member-ship of  fourteen adult couples. The Wpg dance scene provided many close friendships over the years.

​

When she began experiencing the early signs of dementia she and Hal moved into River Ridge II Assisted Living Residence where they spent two happy years with other residents until the advancing dementia forced a move into Beacon Hill Lodge Personal Care Home where she spent her final years. The family wish to give their sincere thanks to the staff of Beacon Hill Lodge and to the friends and staff at River Ridge II Retirement Residence. Your friendship and loving care made a difference in her life.

​

Marilyn was a compassionate, caring person who loved people, especially children, her own, the ones she embraced from Hal’s family, and almost any infant or toddler who came her way in life. And they responded to her loving kindness and care. Throughout those years she continued to lovingly follow the lives of her son, Michael, and daughter, Maureen, and the growing crowd of grand-children. She was a loyal friend, keeping up friendships with Nursing colleagues and many more she came to know in Hal’s YMCA circles and St. Al’s church. Their blended families brought her much joy as she came to love Hal’s children and grand-kids as he loved hers.

​

She is deeply missed by Hal, her husband, lover and best friend, by daughter, Maureen, (Shawn Trickett) Vohora, grand-children Shalin, Alisha, Arya,  Son-in-law Sandeep Vohora  by son, Michael, and grand-daughter, Athena, and by brothers, Bob (Pam) Niddery, Alan (Rose) Niddery, Wayne (Valerie) Niddery.  She also will be fondly remembered by Hal’s children, Terri and Bruce Fiske and grand-children, Wyatt, Dylan and Shaye and by Hal’s grandson, Michael Hart, and wife Erika, and great grand-children, Emily, Amy and Jake and by grand daughter, Jennifer Hart (Chris), and grand-daughter, Allison Hart, and great grand-daughter, Caitlyn. And Stewart Douglas King will dearly miss his ‘Auntie Mar.’

​

Marilyn and Hal both loved and tried to live by the words of the Prophet Micah:

​

This is what your God asks of you,

To love tenderly

To act justly

And to walk humbly

With your God.

She did

Funeral Mass at St. Alphonsus Roman Catholic Church, Munroe Ave at Brazier on Thursday June 30th  11:00 AM.

​

No flowers please, Donations to Alzheimer Society and Rossbrook House.

​

ETHICAL DEATH CARE

Cremation & Life Celebrations

530 St. Mary Avenue - Winnipeg

204-421-5501 - www.ethicaldeathcare.com

​