Mary Ruth 1912 – 1985
Mary went to secondary school at St. Peters, quitting in May of her last year
Mary McCarthy and Jennie Weir
to accept a job at Canadian General Electric in Peterborough, a job that she got due to her ability to pitch softball at a time when jobs were hard to come by! She remained single and worked in Toronto at CGE, making lights. She loved all sports, often watching one game on TV and listening to a second game on the radio, cigarette in hand. She excelled as a pitcher, playing for Keene teams that competed in championship games in Toronto.
She lived with her brother Gene on King Street near her work. She often had relatives living with her; for example, my sisters and I lived with them at different times when we were students in the 1950s and 60s.
Orm had two season’s tickets for the Toronto Maple Leafs, and I remember with fondness being invited occasionally to go to games with Mary or Gene. At Christmas, she bought presents for all of her nieces and nephews. In university, I remember going shopping with her several Saturdays to carry her bundles of presents. When she retired she returned to Peterborough and lived with Lois. She died of lung cancer two weeks after one lung was removed, and was buried one day before her 73rd birthday.
