MAE WATSON

MAE WATSON Mae Watson of Toronto, Ontario, died Saturday, April 22, 2017 at Bennett Health Care Centre, Georgetown, Ontario, at 95 years old. Born February 3, 1922 in Nanaimo, British Columbia, to Madeleine Planta (Loucheron) and Murray A.E. Planta. Mae attended John Shaw High School. After graduating she went to secretarial college instead of teacher's college so she could start work sooner. Her first job was for W. Thompson, a lawyer. Mae met her husband Ray while he was a pharmacy student at the University of British Columbia after returning from WWII. They married in May, 1947 and began their family soon after. Ray died in May 1961 leaving Mae to raise five young children aged 2 to 14. Returning to work to support her family, she started in the secretarial pool at G. H. Wood but quickly moved to Trans-Canada Airlines where she worked in various departments over the years until retiring from her position as secretary for the Air Canada Airport Manager, Pearson Airport, in 1987 (age 65). To stay active after retirement, she started her own company to provide vacation relief for Air Canada and also took minutes for the Airline Operators Committee and was National Secretary for the Pionairs (Air Canada retirees). In addition, she volunteered for the Variety Club of Ontario and the Women's Liberal Association. Mae was also an avid gardener and over the years transformed her garden into a pleasant oasis where the family spent many happy hours enjoying the summer sun. She also enjoyed travelling to places such as Florida, Iceland, New Orleans, Greece, Hawaii and France on her many adventures. After her stroke in 2011, Mae moved to Bennett Health Care Centre in Georgetown where she received care and was visited by at least one family member almost every day to provide company and augment her care. Mae's son Grant predeceased her in 2013. She leaves her surviving children Elaine (Vancouver), David and Kim (Toronto) and Paul (Zelda) and their son Scott (Coquitlam, British Columbia). Mae was very proud of her children and their accomplishments and will be sorely missed by them, other family members and her many friends. No funeral service is planned, but a Celebration of Life will be announced at a future date. Donations can be made to Variety Village in her name.