DR. MARY ELLEN JEANS March 27,1943 - December 26, 2023 Friends, cousins, nieces and nephews mourn the death of Mary Ellen Jeans, C.M., Ph.D. Mary Ellen passed away peacefully in Ottawa, on December 26, 2023. Mary Ellen was a dynamic and unique individual who lived life to its fullest. She was wise, passionate, creative and had an appreciation for creativity in others. She loved art, travel, culinary adventures and the discovery of new wines. Along with her life partner of more than 50 years, the late Dr. Kathleen (Kitty) Rowat, Mary Ellen was the consummate hostess. The doors of their beautiful homes were always open to a wide circle of friends. It did not matter where they travelled – Montreal, Ottawa, small hidden villages in France, the backroads of Québec or the Bahamas, Mary Ellen would invariably run into someone she knew. Mary Ellen and Kitty made friends everywhere, a testament to their kindness and generosity. Born on March 27, 1943, in Guelph, Ontario, to the late Florence Clough and Robert 'Bob' Jeans, Mary Ellen inherited her dad's passion for music, but knew at a young age that health care was to be her calling. Mary Ellen obtained her Registered Nurse Diploma from the Hamilton Civic Hospital in 1963 and went on to receive her BScN and MScN from McGill University. She earned a doctorate of Psychology from McGill in 1976. A recognized and decorated nursing leader, Mary Ellen remained, throughout her life, a fierce advocate for health care reform and the role of nursing within the health system She saw the launch of the first multidisciplinary pain clinic in Canada at the Montreal General Hospital and served as its first administrative director. As head of McGill University's School of Nursing, she was instrumental in establishing Canada's first Ph.D. program in the field. She also steered the Canadian Nurses Association and the Academy of Canadian Executive Nurses, helping to bring about greater investment in education and research, and greater awareness of the profession's history as an integral part of Canada's heritage. For her contribution to nursing and health care, among her many honours, Mary Ellen was invested into the Order of Canada (C.M), received the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal and was awarded the Distinguished Career Award of the Canadian Pain Society. During her illustrious career, she found great satisfaction in mentoring young students. A celebration of Mary Ellen's life will be held at the Beechwood National Memorial Centre, (280 Beechwood Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario), on Friday, January 19, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. Mary Ellen's and Kitty's ashes will be interred on Poet's Hill, at Beechwood Cemetery following a reception. In lieu of flowers, it was Mary Ellen's wish that donations be made to the Dr. Kathleen Rowat Graduate Studies Award through the Canadian Nurses Foundation
cnf-fiic.ca For those attending in person, we ask that you RSVP at
[email protected] . For those who are unable to attend in person, you are invited to register for a livestream via Mary Ellen's memorial page, by visiting
www.beechwoodottawa.ca.
Published by The Globe and Mail from Jan. 6 to Jan. 10, 2024.
