We are mourning the sudden passing of our mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and wife.
Mae is survived by her loving husband of 68 years, Don, her sons Roderick, Douglas (Marie) and Vernon (Deborah), her daughters Leslie and Brenda (John), nine grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren, her brother Ron, her sister Jo-Anne (Doug), foster daughter Tammy York and special cousins Linda (Jim) and Jo-Lynn (Gerry), and her dog Happy.
Mae was predeceased by her parents Jack and Louisa Goodburn, her two older brothers Ed and Ken and her young sister Jo-Lynne.
Mae was born in a four-room stone house in Elkhorn, Manitoba, which still stands today. In 1943 she moved to Powell River with her mother and three brothers to join Jack, who arrived in 1941. They lived in Riverside for 10 years and in 1953, Jack bought the house on Oak Street.
Mae attended Henderson School up to grade eight, then the old Brooks High School, where she graduated in the last class of 1956. She met Don while in grade 11 and they went together until they married in Tlell, Queen Charlotte Islands, May 18, 1957.
Their first three children were born at Queen Charlotte Hospital. They lived in two logging camps, then moved to Vancouver, then to a logging camp on the west coast of the island. After four years, they moved to another camp on Nootka Island. After five years they moved to Powell River to be near her aging parents.
Don's mom and then Mae's mom each lived with them for a time, each in their turn, tended by Mae. We lived in this same house for 51 years.
Mae loved quilting by hand and collecting antiques, but her pride and joy was her yard and garden that she and Don won many Townsite awards for.
Mae wanted no funeral service. There will be a graveside burial sometime after cremation at a later date. Thanks to Dr. DuToit for 20 years of care and to the firemen and ambulance crews who arrived promptly and tried resuscitation to no avail. The family thanks you.
