SIMKINS, Mary Shirley (Martindale) Simkins Obituary

SIMKINS, Mary Shirley (Martindale) – Born February 13, 1929, died December 28, 2015.

Mary was the youngest child of Clarice (Daisy) Martindale and William E Martindale. Her father was police chief of York, Ontario and she was deeply affected when her parents split up when she was a child.

Her siblings were the late William (Bill) Martindale, the late Claire (Martindale) Long, the late Robert Martindale, and the late Joyce (Martindale) Finke. Her sole surviving sister is Gwen Carson of Peterborough.

She is survived by sons, Mark (Halifax, NS) and Paul (Waynesboro, PA) and daughter Lisa Simkins (Toronto, ON). She will be missed by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Mary married her high school sweetheart, the late Captain H.E. “Ted Simkins” in 1951 and lived the nomadic life of Royal Canadian Air Force wife during the cold war. Ted’s service as a jet navigator and peacekeeper took the family to Victoria, BC, Toronto, ON, St Hubert, PQ, Tyndall AFB, Florida, Belleville, ON, and Trenton, ON. She formed strong friendships with her fellow Air Force women who endured the wait for husbands often away on dangerous missions. The families’ sojourn in Florida is documented in Larry Milberry’s book, Canada’s Airforces on Exchange.

The family retired to Omemee, ON outside Peterborough where Ted taught school for a year, then suddenly died of a heart attack in 1970, leaving Mary as the head of the household.

While raising the three children on her own, she formed strong ties with the local community, curling and skiing.

Once the last child left the nest, the house in the country was too much, so Mary moved into a house on Benson Avenue in Peterborough 1980 where she continued to cross-country ski, golf and canoe. She had a strong circle of friends, including the infamous Bi-Wednesday bridge club, with whom she travelled and enjoyed many shenanigans.

She was a founding member of the Kawartha Nordic Ski club and skied in the Jack Rabbit Johannsen ski marathon in Quebec a couple of times and other races. Mary was also a talented amateur artist, one of her pastels from her canoe trips with her friends adorned her room at Guildwood long-term facility. She was feisty and did not back down from confrontations. She worked at Birk’s in Peterborough Square until the store shut down there.

Thanks to the staff and caregivers at Scarborough’s Guildwood Extendicare who looked after her for her lengthy illness.

She will be buried at the Emily Cemetery near Omemee with her beloved Ted. A celebration of her life will be held at a later date. Information can be obtained at brightskier@hotmail.com.

Her personality is missed, any donations should be made to the Alzheimer Society in her name.

PeterboroughObituaries.com

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