Obituary of Mary Therese Neill
Our beloved mother, Mary Therese Neill, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly in the evening of June 4th, 2018, surrounded by loving family. She will be profoundly missed by her children, Marianne, Robert, Christopher, Sam, and Elizabeth Neill; by their spouses, Maurice Therrien, Juliette Merritt, Jessu Huerta, and Hyun-Hwa Oh Neill; by her grandchildren, Shannon Neill-Sword, Finn Merritt-Neill, Sandor Haas-Neill, Jacqui Neill Huerta, Liam Haas-Neill, Grace Neill-Huerta, Ryan Oh Neill, Mariana Neill-Huerta, and Meghan Oh Neill; by her sister, Connie Harris, her in-laws, and her nieces and nephews and extended family. Predeceased by her husband of 39 years, Samuel D. Neill, and her brothers, George and Frank Greive. For family, our mother was a relentless protector and champion. Mary retired in 1998 from the University of Western Ontario, where she was a professor of English and Drama. For decades, she directed the Young Players, a popular Saturday children's theatre program through the University, where she expressed her special ability to nurture and inspire the imagination. For the last 19 years, she volunteered at Mount Hope Centre for Long Term Care, facilitating activities for residents. A gifted teacher, she was much loved and appreciated by students, including her most recent groups in the Society for Learning in Retirement program, where she taught drama. Mary worked across Canada as a speech arts adjudicator for the Kiwanis Festival and the Royal Conservatory of Music, and retired from this career in 2017. Friends and neighbours will greatly miss her kindness and generosity.
Visitors will be received at the John T. Donohue Funeral Home, 362 Waterloo Street at King Street, on Friday afternoon from 2-4 and 7-9 o'clock. Funeral Mass at St. Peter's Cathedral Bascilica, 196 Dufferin Street, on Saturday morning at 10 o'clock. Interment in St. Peter's Cemetery. Prayers Friday afternoon at 2 o'clock. Donations to Mount Hope Centre for Long Term Care c/o St. Joseph's Health Care Foundation would be appreciated in lieu of flowers.
