Obituary of Mary Karmas

Mary Karmas (nee Sorochan) passed away peacefully at the Kimberley Special Care Home (The Pines) with her family by her side on Sunday, October 15, 2017. Mary was born May 6, 1926 on the family farm in Sunland, Alberta. After graduating from high school in Andrew, Alberta, she worked as an administrator at the Provincial Correspondence School in Edmonton for several years. She married Bill in Edmonton on June 2, 1951 and they moved to Yellowknife, N.W.T Life in Yellowknife was an adventure: she curled, pitched in a fastball league, became a member of the Order of the Royal Purple (OORP) of the Elks of Canada, which was to become a lifelong dedication, and managed the Plains Western Natural Gas office. Mary and Bill's two daughters, Adelle and Lorri, were born in Yellowknife. The family moved to Vermilion, Alberta for two years in the mid 1960's where she co-managed Vermilion Bowl with Bill, then to Kimberley (Marysville) in 1963. In Kimberley, she resumed curling and, in addition serving as the treasurer for the OORP, she volunteered with the Hospital Auxiliary, contributing many volunteer hours doing sewing projects and working at its Thrift Store in Marysville. Mary was very creative and skilled at all types of crafts: sewing, knitting, crochet, petite point, embroidery, ceramics, leather work and copper work. She was a Scrabble and word-search whiz and enjoyed gardening, travel, and walking many miles along the Mark Creek Nature Trail between Marysville and Kimberley with Bill, but first and foremost, she was a super homemaker and Mom. Cherishing Mary's memory are Adelle and grandsons, Evan and Jordan (Seana) and great-granddaughters, Madison and Breanna; Lorri (Jim Bennett) and grandson, Andrew; and brother Leonard (Joyce) and nieces and nephews. Mary was pre-deceased by Bill on March 30, 2014. The family sincerely thanks Dr. Dupreez, the Cranbrook and Kimberley Hospice Society volunteers, and especially all of the staff at The Pines for their many loving kindnesses and excellent care of Mary over the past three and a half years. You all have been wonderful and very much appreciated. "Howdy doody; upsy-daisy; chug-a-lug; Bye, Bye Blackbird" A family service and internment will take place at Holy Trinity Church and Cemetery in Sunland, Alberta.