Obituary of Mary Helen Pelham (Roach)

Died peacefully at home on July 28, 2014, surrounded by her loving family in her 90th year. Mary lived a simple life based on faith, family and music. She took great joy in her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Being with family and hearing from or spending time with her numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren was central to her happiness. Mary loved all music and she enjoyed many family kitchen parties during her life and private sing alongs’ in the weeks before her death. All family and visitors were particularly bathed in Mary’s love over the last month of her life, her parting words always "I love you". Her prayers for her family’s faith, health and happiness were constant, even in her final days. Mary did all things with great love, lived her faith and received her strength from God. She taught her beliefs through her words and actions in life and her family was blessed to have her in their lives for so long. Mary was the recipient of the Queen Jubilee Medal in 2002 and was a founding member of the Purcell’s Cove Ladies Dart League, playing darts every Wednesday into her 89th year. She is survived by her sister, Theresa Dicks (Hal); children, Marie, James (Heather), Harold (Eileen), Theresa Belliveau (Phil) and Donald (Tanya); her grandchildren, Nicole (Tom), Denise, Suzanne, Darrell (Joy), Dean, Joshua, Jenna, Jacob, Jordan, Adam, Daniel, Joseph, Amy, Mark, Lee and Scott; and great grandchildren, Steven, Mackenzie, Justin, Jayden, Sam, Grace, Alex, Anna, Emily, Jack and Haley; and many nieces and nephews. Mary was predeceased by her daughter Patricia Boudreau (Robert) and husband Harold. Arrangements are under the care of J. Albert Walker Funeral Home (2005) Ltd. (477-5601) 149 Herring Cove Rd., where visitation will be held Thursday July 31 from 2-4 & 7-9 p.m. Funeral Mass will be held from St. Paul’s Roman Catholic Church Hebridean Dr. Herring Cove, on Friday August 1 at 11 a.m., Father Alfred Ashun as celebrant. Interment to take place in St. Paul’s Roman Catholic Cemetery, Herring Cove. Family flower only, donations can be made in Mary’s memory to Chalice, SPCA, Canadian Red Cross or a charity of choice. During the last year, our family has been sent many wonderful people who helped make Mary as comfortable and happy as possible in her home. Specials thanks to our Newfoundland angels, Mary Murphy and Tammy Munden, caretaker and friend Kate Cahoon, Sister Aurelia, Glenna Thornhill and the Palliative Care Team, Carol Sweet of Continuing Care, Suzanne Bright and the Northwood Day Program, the VON and the Red Cross and all the friends and extended family who became part of Mary’s last year.