Lucy May Mawbey

MAWBEY: Lucy May (nee Acton)
May 12, 1928 – February 10, 2024
Lucy passed away peacefully with her family by her side at the Unity and District Health Centre. She was born in Unity, Saskatchewan as the eldest of six children to Ila and Victor Acton. As a child, she attended Scotstown School in the countryside. Come rain or shine, she diligently walked or rode the horse there each day and back. Her favourite pastime as a little girl was jumping in the hay in the barn loft despite warnings not to. Many years later, she would still tell the story of how she didn’t enjoy doing the dishes, even though it was always the chore assigned to her. Education was the pride and joy of Lucy’s life. One of the hardest things she ever had to do was to move away from her family to complete her highschool in Unity, as she was always very homesick. During this time, she boarded with the local doctor’s family where she was the au pair for their family. After completing Grade 12 at the age of 16, she attended Normal School in Saskatoon to become a teacher. As an avid learner, she completed her teacher schooling in one year. She went on to teach many of her own students in one-room schoolhouses from 1946 - 1953 at Abbeywood School, Dodsland, and Dilke. She took that love for learning and applied it to the young minds in her care. If a student struggled with numbers, and she knew the family liked to play cards, she would play cards with them to help teach them math. Years later in those towns, her efforts are still remembered by her students. They didn’t forget her or the opportunities her efforts gave them. She identified as a teacher even in her older age, and it continued to influence her desire to help spread education and imagination to anyone in need.
On July 2, 1953, she married the love of her life, Wilfred Mawbey. Lucy shared many fond memories of their honeymoon to Calgary, where they attended Stampede and saw the sights. Together on their farm they had four children: Betty, Ila, Owen, and Nancy. One of the more challenging times in Lucy’s life was coming home with Nancy as a newborn and having three sick children and her husband with the measles. With her gentle nature, she tackled that challenge with hard-work and compassion. Some of the sentimental memories Lucy recalled were riding the train with her family and the Grant Family in 1960 to the Forester’s Convention in Victoria. This was also the first time she ever rode the ferry. In 1973, she had her first airplane ride to Victoria for family wedding. She maintained being a homemaker and a farmer’s wife while her husband was alive. Whenever family returned to visit, she would always make time to be there to welcome them and open her home. She downright loved spending time with her family, never shying away from lending a hand to help with her grandchildren.
She had ever-enduring patience, but she never needed any when supporting and encouraging the hobbies of her grandchildren. Like clockwork, she would watch them play their sports and participate in activities as their biggest fan! And seeing her great-grandchildren always put a smile on her face. They always looked forward to hugs from their GG! She enjoyed gardening, cooking and baking. A favourite pastime of hers was picking Saskatoon berries and then making delicious pies and tarts. She was very creative and made many of her own clothes, quilts, blankets and mended anything that was brought to her. She could take the ugliest fabric and make the nicest apron out of it. Her family was always kept well fed and patched up. Other activities she enjoyed were curling, playing cards, discing and listening to music. Her favourite song was Wilf Carter’s “There’s a Bluebird on Your Windowsill”.
Her family, friends and community were blessed to enjoy her gifts and talents, which she shared so willingly. In springtime, she loved walking in the pasture and picking crocuses which covered the hills. Her favourite flower was the sweet pea. For almost 40 years, every spring and fall, she drove the lead car when bringing the cattle to and from Airedale Pasture. Throughout her life, she was very active in many clubs and organizations. She was quite involved with the Senlac 4-H Club, where she was a sewing leader. She was an active member of the United Church Women’s Group (UCW) in Evesham, Women’s Institute (WI), Legion Auxilliary Senlac Branch, member of the Unity Club Square Dance Group, and was a member of the Evesham United Church. Other enjoyable activities were doing different painting projects with her Tri-Chem group, playing 500 in Senlac, and attending Old Time Dances in Unity. She proudly lived on the family farm for 70 years until 2023. She then moved to the Villa Marie in Macklin, Saskatchewan, where she lived out the remainder of her life. While living there, she enjoyed playing candy bingo, horse races, listening to the entertainment and visiting with her friends. She is survived by her children Betty (Laine) Schofield of Hay River, NWT, Ila (Abel) Gallant of Leduc, AB, Owen (Lorianne) Mawbey of Senlac, SK and Nancy, 13 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren, sisters Myrtle Acton and Ruth Whitney, brother Lorne Acton, sister-in-law Dorothy Ell and numerous nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband Wilfred Mawbey, brother Jim Acton, sister Laura Leeson and Laura’s husband Walter Leeson, brother-in-law Raphael Ell, sister-in-law Irene Acton, brother-in-law and sister-in-law Fred and Ruth Mawbey, Alfred and Freda Mawbey, Floyd and Nell Barnes, nephews Paul Raymond, Russell Mawbey and Brian Acton, nieces
Sharon Whitney and Sylvia Mawbey and son-in-law Craig.

Her funeral service will be held on Saturday, February 24, 2024 at 2:00pm SK time at the Senlac Hall in Senlac, SK. Live Streaming through Janine Tymchuk’s Facebook page.

Donations may be directed to a charity of your choice

. Condolences cards can be mailed to Owen Mawbey Box 1367 Unity, SK. S0K 4L0. Arrangements entrusted to Gerein Funeral Service.

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