We celebrate that Mary Catherine Banbury Brittain is in heaven and is herself once more. She is no longer held captive in the grip of Alzheimer's disease. At the very same time our hearts are broken with overwhelming sadness. Mary was 81 years old when she passed away peacefully at the Hospice Waterloo Region on July 16th, 2026.

Mary grew up in Moonstone, Ontario. She was the only daughter of Catherine Annie Ruth Miller and Roy Warren Banbury. Mary lost her own dear mother when she was just 24. Mary’s father has since passed, along with her only brother, Allan Banbury. She was very fond of her bachelor uncles Roy and Bob Miller.

She met her husband, Richard Brittain, in Orillia, Ontario. Soon after their marriage they moved to the Muskoka area, settling in Housey’s Rapids where they raised their three daughters, Barb (Andy), Gwen (Cristian) and Beth. Mary was very involved in and loved the Ryde community, Ryde Public School and the Ryde Free Methodist church.

In later years Mary and Richard moved the family into town and Gravenhurst became their home. If you were ever to walk down the street in Gravenhurst with Mary you surely wouldn’t get home when you expected. Always she would meet people she knew, stopping to chat. She loved people and people loved her.

There are seven very special people that Mary loved beyond measure. Her grandchildren. Ranging between the ages of 28 and 16, Mary loved being ‘Grammie’ to Kate, Rebecca, William, Nico, Ian, Ally and Mackenzie. Memories of Grammie as the garage sale expert, snow fort architect, arm wrestler extraordinaire, and style maven with earrings to match every season, are just a few memories her grandchildren will carry with them forever.

Mary’s nieces and nephew were near and dear to her heart. Wanda Cooke, Steve Brittain, Michelle Ranson, Julie Brittain, and Nicole Brittain. She always wanted to know what was new in their lives and how they and their families were doing.

Faith and her love of God were central to who Mary was. She felt God’s guiding and loving care throughout her adult life. Hymns provided great comfort to her in her last days. She prayed for her family and friends all the time. There were post-it notes everywhere in her home office, covered with names to pray for, with bible verses and reminders to be grateful no matter the situation.

After high school Mary graduated from teacher’s college but decided teaching wasn’t for her. She held a variety of jobs, but what really defined her working life was her entrepreneurial spirit. She had a cake decorating and chocolate making business as well as a woodworking business. It was when Mary found her calling as the founder of ‘Muskoka Seniors & Special Services’ that the beautiful pairing of her servant heart and PSW skills found their match. Mary and her team of over 50 staff provided exceptional care and services to many in the Muskoka area, some of her ‘sweet people’ as she referred to them, had Alzheimer’s.

In lieu of flowers please consider donating in Mary’s memory to the Alzheimer’s Society or to the Hospice Waterloo Region. Special thanks from the family to Nancy Beaton and Darlene Brauen, gifted PSW’s who provided exceptional care to Mary.

A celebration of life service will be held on Saturday, August 8th, 2026 at 2:00pm at Calvary Baptist Church in Gravenhurst, Ontario.