Obituary for Mary Margaret Beland (nee Harrington)
Mary Margaret Harrington was born June 12,1937 in Highland Park, MI, the first of Patrick and Loretta Driscoll Harrington’s four children. Following graduation from Our Lady of Mercy High School in 1955, Mary Margaret was discouraged from going to college/university. The question in the mid-50s was, “Why would a woman go to college when she could marry a man who would provide for her?”. College, however, was part of Mary Margaret’s life plan and she persisted. After working for a year, her parents gave her their blessing and she pursued her dream. Four years later (1960), she was the first in her family to graduate from college, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Mercy College Detroit. The barrier she broke led the way for education for her siblings.
Following graduation, Mary Margaret took a nursing position at Mt. Carmel Mercy Hospital in Detroit, where she was promoted to Head Paediatric Nurse. It was at Mt. Carmel that she met a young doctor from northern Alberta named Marcel Béland, who was doing a four year surgical residency. Mary Margaret and Marcel were married May 26, 1962. They had four children: Michael Patrick (1963), Dennis Marcel (1964), Renée Loretta (1966) and James Robert (1970). In 1965, the growing family moved from Detroit to Windsor, Ontario, where the children were raised. Marcel died in 2000.
When the children were in elementary school, Mary Margaret began work at Marcel’s office, eventually managing it. When they reached high school, she became quite active in the Assumption College School Mothers Club. She and Marcel encouraged their children to continue education beyond high school. More importantly, as she would frequently point out, they grew to be good, respectful, and honest people. While living on Bedford St, Mary Margaret hosted many family dinners, in particular Canadian Thanksgiving, where the three generations of the Harrington family got to know and enjoy each other’s company. Bélands, Harringtons and Nolans passing through the area always knew they were welcome to stay. The family has fond memories of these times. She treated the friends of her children with kindness as though they were her own.
Mary Margaret cultivated many friends in the Windsor area over the years. She moved in 2005 to Tecumseh, Ontario and on to retirement living in 2016. Throughout her life she enjoyed reading, traveling with Marcel to Europe and following his death, to Asia and Russia with her sister Kathleen. She also enjoyed studying and earned a second degree in History from the University of Windsor in 1990. She continued to audit courses there until she began to suffer from cognitive decline related to Alzheimer’s disease.
Mary Margaret died peacefully on July 1, 2022. She is survived by her four children- Michael (Cathy), Dennis (Joanne Dubé), Renée (Edward Chung) and Jim (Anetta Przybyla); six grandchildren- Elyse Malcolm, Evan Malcolm (Emmeline), Patrick Dubé Béland, Matthew Chung, Simone Chung and Jo Chung; and great grandson Ferris Malcolm. She is also survived by her siblings- Patricia Harrington (the late John Hooper), Kathleen Nolan and Jack (Ann) Harrington; many cousins, nieces and nephews and grand-nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by Patrick Harrington, Loretta Harrington, Marcel Béland, John Hooper, Jean-Baptiste Béland, Blanche Béland, Yvette Béland, Gérard Béland, Lilian Béland, Roger Béland, Jeannette Béland, Louise Béland and Paul Béland.
The family would like to thank the staff at Chartwell St Clair Beach and Sunrise Senior Living of Windsor for their compassionate care, particularly in light of the challenges faced during the COVID pandemic. We are particularly grateful to the staff at the Windsor Regional Hospital Metropolitan Campus Emergency Room and Short Stay Unit, as well as the palliative care team, for providing care that was both exceptional and respectful.
At Mary Margaret’s request, cremation has taken place. Family and friends will be received at Families First Funeral Home and Tribute Centre, 3260 Dougall Ave. Visitation will be from 6 pm to 9 pm, Friday August 12th and the Service will be on August 13th at 10:00AM. A livestream link will be added to be able to view service from home. In lieu of flowers, donations to Hiatus House or Street Help Homeless Centre of Windsor would be appreciated.
Click here to view the service for Mary Margaret Beland live from home.
If the link does not work on your system, please copy and paste the following address in your web browser: https://youtu.be/Zf7aQEcVN_M
Following graduation, Mary Margaret took a nursing position at Mt. Carmel Mercy Hospital in Detroit, where she was promoted to Head Paediatric Nurse. It was at Mt. Carmel that she met a young doctor from northern Alberta named Marcel Béland, who was doing a four year surgical residency. Mary Margaret and Marcel were married May 26, 1962. They had four children: Michael Patrick (1963), Dennis Marcel (1964), Renée Loretta (1966) and James Robert (1970). In 1965, the growing family moved from Detroit to Windsor, Ontario, where the children were raised. Marcel died in 2000.
When the children were in elementary school, Mary Margaret began work at Marcel’s office, eventually managing it. When they reached high school, she became quite active in the Assumption College School Mothers Club. She and Marcel encouraged their children to continue education beyond high school. More importantly, as she would frequently point out, they grew to be good, respectful, and honest people. While living on Bedford St, Mary Margaret hosted many family dinners, in particular Canadian Thanksgiving, where the three generations of the Harrington family got to know and enjoy each other’s company. Bélands, Harringtons and Nolans passing through the area always knew they were welcome to stay. The family has fond memories of these times. She treated the friends of her children with kindness as though they were her own.
Mary Margaret cultivated many friends in the Windsor area over the years. She moved in 2005 to Tecumseh, Ontario and on to retirement living in 2016. Throughout her life she enjoyed reading, traveling with Marcel to Europe and following his death, to Asia and Russia with her sister Kathleen. She also enjoyed studying and earned a second degree in History from the University of Windsor in 1990. She continued to audit courses there until she began to suffer from cognitive decline related to Alzheimer’s disease.
Mary Margaret died peacefully on July 1, 2022. She is survived by her four children- Michael (Cathy), Dennis (Joanne Dubé), Renée (Edward Chung) and Jim (Anetta Przybyla); six grandchildren- Elyse Malcolm, Evan Malcolm (Emmeline), Patrick Dubé Béland, Matthew Chung, Simone Chung and Jo Chung; and great grandson Ferris Malcolm. She is also survived by her siblings- Patricia Harrington (the late John Hooper), Kathleen Nolan and Jack (Ann) Harrington; many cousins, nieces and nephews and grand-nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by Patrick Harrington, Loretta Harrington, Marcel Béland, John Hooper, Jean-Baptiste Béland, Blanche Béland, Yvette Béland, Gérard Béland, Lilian Béland, Roger Béland, Jeannette Béland, Louise Béland and Paul Béland.
The family would like to thank the staff at Chartwell St Clair Beach and Sunrise Senior Living of Windsor for their compassionate care, particularly in light of the challenges faced during the COVID pandemic. We are particularly grateful to the staff at the Windsor Regional Hospital Metropolitan Campus Emergency Room and Short Stay Unit, as well as the palliative care team, for providing care that was both exceptional and respectful.
At Mary Margaret’s request, cremation has taken place. Family and friends will be received at Families First Funeral Home and Tribute Centre, 3260 Dougall Ave. Visitation will be from 6 pm to 9 pm, Friday August 12th and the Service will be on August 13th at 10:00AM. A livestream link will be added to be able to view service from home. In lieu of flowers, donations to Hiatus House or Street Help Homeless Centre of Windsor would be appreciated.
Click here to view the service for Mary Margaret Beland live from home.
If the link does not work on your system, please copy and paste the following address in your web browser: https://youtu.be/Zf7aQEcVN_M