Obituary of Mary Pinder

Mary Pinder passed away at the age of 85 on Thursday March 14, 2024, at the Yorkton and District Nursing Home where she had lived since December 2020.

Celebrating her life are her daughter Debbie, son-in-law Ralph, and granddaughter Maria; daughter Lenore and grandchild Nash; daughter Shauna and granddaughters Brittany and Lindsey; son Shane, daughter-in-law Claire, grandson Nathan, and granddaughter Suzie; brothers Andy (Suzanne) and Frank (Alma); sisters-in-law Lavada and Louise (Larry); and many nieces, nephews, extended family, and a lifetime of friends.

Mary was born on January 9, 1939, at home north of Calder, the fifth of eight children to Andrew and Anna (nee Urbanski) Bryski. When Mary started Grade 1 in Yorkton, she spoke no English. Despite this, she learned quickly and did well in school, and after graduating from Grade 12, and taking additional training, became a psychiatric nurse, and later a telephone operator.

Mary and Don Pinder were married on July 6, 1963, and began life as a farm couple near Springside. In addition to grain farming, Mary and Don raised beef cattle, and the usual assortment of chickens and pigs.

Within eight years of marriage, Mary and Don had four children. They were both active curlers and badminton players, participating in women’s, men’s, and mixed curling, and weekly badminton at the Springside Hall.

Mary was a Tupperware Lady for several years, travelling throughout the east central region, sometimes doing more than one home party each day. All of her children attended parties with her, learning the subtle nuances of proper seal application of the various containers, and were set up for life with a wide variety of Tupperware products.

Mary was very talented at cooking, baking, and handcrafting. Her rhubarb, pumpkin, and apple pies were enjoyed by family and friends. When Mary made pies, she didn’t make one, she made 10 or 20, and in the earlier years froze a few for later use. In her last 15 or so years she would share them with eager friends and relatives.

Mary excelled at all kinds of crafts - sewing, knitting, embroidery, liquid embroidery, macrame, watercolour painting, and crochet. Her children learned the craft of the moment, and benefited when they were older in beautiful paintings and crocheted afghans.

Mary was predeceased by her husband Donald; her brothers Peter (Eunice), Walter (Irene), Edward (Sonia), and Henry; her sister Evelyn (Ray); her sister-in-law Doreen (Gordon); and her brother-in-law Larry.

Memorial donations may be made to the Sunshine Club - Country Meadows, Yorkton & District Nursing Home (c/o 200 Bradbrooke Dr., Yorkton, SK S3N 2K5) as gifts of remembrance.

A celebration of Mary's life will be held in the summer.