Marion Isabelle Bayley Kennington

Marion Isabelle Bayley Kennington ST. THOMAS, ONTARIO, CANADA - Marion Isabelle Bayley Kennington, 93, passed away Monday, March 23, 2009, at St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital, after a brief and courageous battle with lymphoma. Funeral service will be held today at 1:30 p.m. at Sifton Funeral Home, St. Thomas with the Rev. Jim Evans officiating. Burial will follow at St. Thomas Cemetery. Marion was born Aug. 20, 1915, the first of six daughters born to George Armstrong Bayley and Emma Hunter Bayley in rural Clinton, Ontario. She was raised on the family farm, in a 300 square foot cinderblock dwelling lacking both running water and electricity. In 1937, she married Wallace Charles Kennington of St. Thomas, who preceded her in death in January of 1982. Marion will always be remembered by her strong work ethic, her beautiful flowers, and her ambrosia-like Butter Tarts, which were second to none. She was a very able woman who lived independently until her health began to fail in December of 2008. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her sister, Addie McKay, on March, 2009; brothers-in-law, Fergus McKay, Lew Dutot, Bob Morgan, Evan Sims; and son-in-law, Robert J. Mayberry. Marion is survived by her daughter, Nancy Lou Mayberry of Greenville, N.C. and St. Thomas; son, Douglas Kennington and wife, Pat, of St. Thomas; grandchildren, Julie Mayberry and husband, Ron Batcho, of Raleigh, N.C., Timothy R. Mayberry and wife, Morgan, of Greenville, N.C., Deborah, Deanna, and Douglas James Kennington, all of St. Thomas; great-grandson, Gavin Kennington of St. Thomas; four sisters, Marjorie Dutot and Verna Morgan, both of Clinton, Edna Sims of Exeter, and Joyce Slorach and husband, David, of Toronto; in addition, she is survived by countless nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives, church family, and friends. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of one's choice. Marion was a true gentle lady, and a lady to the end. Heaven now is a tidier place.