Mrs. Mary Delores Gillespie, age 87 years, passed away peacefully in Southbridge Pinewood Court on Monday, July 25, 2022.
Delores was born on August 20, 1934 in Ottawa, Ontario, the third child to Kathleen and Robert Gates. She is predeceased by her parents, her sisters Kitty and Marion, and her parents-in-law Tom and Margaret Gillespie. She is survived by her brother Robert, sisters Betty-Ann and Sharon, sister-in-law Frances, and their families.
Delores completed nurse training in 1957 at the Ottawa Civic Hospital and worked at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto before she married Robert Gillespie and moved to Thunder Bay to start her family. She worked as an RN at McKellar and Westmount Hospitals until her retirement.
In retirement, she enjoyed playing games with friends and family, volunteering (church ministries, advocacy), travelling and enjoying family time at the house in Pearl.
Family and Faith were a priority to Delores. She will be missed by her eight children Laurie, Kathy (Shaun), Tom (Charlene), Robert (Tannis), John (Tina), Mark (Treva), Stephen (Debi) and Gerald (Cesar).
She was the proud grandmother to Paul, Nathan, Leslie, Madeline, Calvin, Megan, Taryn, Robyn, Patrick, Kathleen, Kelsey, Ellie, Jack and Will. She was thrilled to become a great grandmother to Josephine, Malachy, Felix, Eli, Violet, Emily, Adria, Rowan, Liam and Jonah.
Funeral Services for Delores will be held on Saturday, July 30, 2022 with family and friends gathering in St. Agnes Roman Catholic Church for the Funeral Mass at 9:30am, celebrated by Father James Panikulam. Cremation will follow with interment in Sunset Memorial Gardens at a later date. Visitation will be held on Friday evening from 6:00pm until 8:00pm in the WESTFORT CHAPEL, 420 West Gore Street at James, with Vigil Prayers offered at 7:00pm.
If you would like to make a donation, please consider the Kidney Foundation of Canada, Southbridge Pinewood, the Home Hemodialysis Unit of TBRHSC or Covenant House.
Please sign the online condolences at everestofthunderbay.com
