Mary Elizabeth Plaunt

After a long and positive life, Mary died, aged 106, in Renfrew on July 29, 2020. She was born on a farm in Admaston Township, Renfrew County to Elizabeth Blair and Duncan Campbell and grew up in a family of six children, augmented by five double-first cousins through adjacent fields. After an adventurous childhood, she drove eight miles per horse and buggy or cutter to high school at Renfrew's Collegiate Institute, loving the horses and the frequent challenges of the commute. Eventually she excelled in the old position of "Jumping Centre" in an RCI ladies Basketball team which won the Eastern Ontario championship. After RCI, as she was financially unable to follow her first love and become a university-trained dietician, she settled on elementary school teaching after a year's training at Ottawa Normal School. During her first four years of teaching at Admaston #6 (Northcote) she got to know Cam Plaunt who she married in 1941, after teaching for a further three years for the Toronto Board of Education. During this period she continued to study voice, and added to her professional qualifications, becoming an elementary school music specialist. In 1941 she joined Cam in New Liskeard, and they embarked upon a happy life in the North, which they both loved. Mary first taught supply, then music in New Liskeard Public School, and eventually moved into regular grade teaching which she enjoyed immensely, becoming a memorable mentor and friend to many former students, and a close friend to many colleagues. She sang in the choir of St Paul's United, was a member of the ORMTA music teachers, curled at the Horne Granite club, golfed on the Haileybury and New Liskeard links, and cheered on McKnight's baseball team from the comfort of the family car in the outfield. Mary and Cam returned to Renfrew in 1989 to a warm welcome from their Renfrew families, and frequent visits from their Montreal family. Cam died in 1996, and Mary eventually moved into Quail Creek Retirement Centre, and then Groves Park Lodge where excellent and attentive staffs enjoyed her company and friendship. Mary is survived by son Tom and daughter in law Anne MacKinnon of Montreal, grandsons Jeremy Plaunt (Kelly Hanson) of Gatineau, and Duncan Plaunt of Montreal, great grandsons Cedric and Noah Plaunt, sister in law Patricia Kasaboski of Renfrew, as well as an extended family of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends, all of whom have been of great support and enjoyment in recent years. The family wishes to thank the kind staffs of Quail Creek and Groves Park Lodge, Dr. Catherine MacDonald, and the medical staffs of Quail, Groves and Renfrew Victoria Hospital for their excellent care. Special thanks to the congregation of Grace United Church, Admaston for such warm community support. Burial will be private. In the absence of any public service or visitations, memorial donations may be made to Grace United Church, Admaston, 1875 Foy Rd, RR2 Renfrew, ON. K7V 3K2, or to a charity of your choice. Funeral arrangements are through the Zohr Family Funeral Home, 85 Munroe Ave E, Renfrew, ON K7V 3K2.