In loving memory of Mary-Ann Nadeau
November 14, 1947 – February 21, 2022
Mary-Ann Nadeau, of Kamloops, BC, passed away peacefully on February 21st, 2022 in the presence of family and friends, at the age of 74.
She was born Mary-Ann Muller on November 14th, 1947, in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. Her mother was Alma Louise Guyn, from Acme, Alberta, a horse enthusiast and petroleum Landwoman, and her father was George Muller, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a race horse veterinarian. She is predeceased by her parents as well as elder brother John Muller, a similarly spirited redhead.
When Mary-Ann was still a child her mother brought her two children back to Alberta from Arizona, where they settled in Calgary. Mary-Ann’s adolescent and teenage years were by all accounts filled with love, laughter and great friendships. She loved to dance and for a time in her late teens she became a cheerleader for the Calgary Stampeders football team, which spoke to her natural ability as an entertainer.
After high school Mary-Ann started her professional career at an oil and gas company in Calgary where she met and married Raymond Nadeau, a young engineer. Soon after they welcomed their first son, Jason, and a few years later they moved to Kamloops where they welcomed their second son, Todd. Although Mary-Ann was at first unsure about small town life, she and Ray quickly made friends and she grew to love Kamloops and its close knit community
Mary-Ann and Ray were together for 14 years and they separated amicably in 1981. She never formally remarried, although she had a common-law relationship with Robert Wouters of Sicamous, BC, which ended in 2010.
If there was ever someone who epitomized the term “fun loving” it was Mary-Ann. She had a love of life, people and new adventures, and was well known for her sharp wit and rollicking sense of humor. She always had a joke at the ready, and there are many stories of the inventive and hilarious pranks she would pull on unsuspecting friends.
She loved to travel, adored her dogs Robbie and Sammy, was a skilled snow skier and water skier, was an avid reader (especially anything Steven King related) and had a passion for gardening. She also loved to entertain and in the summers enjoyed spending time with family and friends at her cabin on Shuswap Lake, sharing laughs over a cup of coffee, glass of wine, or a rousing game of charades.
Given her people-focused nature it’s not surprising that Mary-Ann loved her career as a HR professional in the field of long-term care. She started at Ponderosa Lodge in 1984 and went on to become the Director of HR for Ponderosa, Overlander and Liberty Manor care facilities. She eventually became the Site Leader for Pine Grove Care Centre (a subsidiary of Park Place Seniors Living), and in addition travelled to other facilities around BC and Alberta to help with their operations. She took her well-deserved retirement in 2019.
Mary-Ann was a respected and admired leader and a passionate advocate for the quality care and dignity of residents. She was renowned for creating a lively and rewarding environment for staff and residents, and as a result she became close friends with many of her staff and co-workers. We are forever grateful to one of those close friends, Wendy Romanowski, who provided tremendous support to Mary-Ann and her family over the years.
Mary-Ann’s warmth, compassion and care for others were a huge part of why she was so loved and will be so missed, by her family, her friends, and so many of those who knew her.
She is lovingly survived by her sons Jason (Elisa) and Todd, her grandchildren Adam and Hazel, and her ex-husband Raymond (Brenda).
A Celebration of Life is being planned for a later date, and when details are finalized another notice will be posted in this paper. Updates will also be available on a Facebook memorial page being created for her (www.facebook.com/maryann.mullernadeau). Alternatively, interested parties can contact Jason or Todd at jasonandtodd.nadeau@gmail.com.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Pine Grove Lodge Residents Society, The Canadian Cancer Society, or the Kamloops Hospice Association.
Mom, we’ll always and forever “love you to the moon” (and beyond) xoxo
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Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Mary-Ann Nadeau 1947 –..
Décès pour la Ville: Kamloops, Province: Colombie britanique