Obituary of Mary Anne Sterling
The world lost a beautiful soul with the passing of Mary Sterling (née Kidd) on July 15, 2021, after a long and courageous battle with Huntington Disease. Even towards the end, she had this indomitable spirit of goodness that shone through, as the wonderful and caring staff at Fairhaven Long-Term Care Home can attest to. How happy she was to have her nails painted or her hair adorned with flowers! Our family is so grateful for the care that Fairhaven provided her, and the love their staff shared. Jim Sterling, her beloved husband, was always by her side. They met at a coffee shop in Lakefield where Mary worked when she was 17, were married shortly after, and not too long after that came their two sons, Jason and Heath (Yun Hee). In June, Mary and Jim shared their 49th wedding anniversary. Mary was kind, generous, and loved her family more than anything – how excited she would get when her grandchildren Ella and Westley would visit! Mary is fondly remembered by numerous nieces and nephews, as well as the kids of Braden Street, where she was always happy to host a play date and where she became famous for her piercing whistle, which meant “time to come in for supper”. The way she rallied against Huntington’s to enjoy one last big family trip to Darrien Lake a number of years ago remains a medical mystery, and an inspiration. Mary’s hard-fought battle with Huntington Disease may have robbed her of some of the best years of her life, but we know she would want you to remember the previous version of herself. The Mary Sterling that enjoyed being a hockey mom, camping at The Homestead, hosting euchre tournaments, baking and decorating the most amazing birthday cakes, and having a great sense of style. How lucky we are to have had Mary Sterling on this earth… as a mom, grandma, daughter, aunt, sibling, wife, and friend.
In lieu of flowers we are asking for donations to the Fairhaven Foundation;
https://www.fairhavenltc.com/fairhaven-foundation/ways-to-give/
or The Huntington Society of Canada;
https://www.huntingtonsociety.ca/in-memorial-tribute-giving/