Mary Sarah ‘Sadie’ Williams
Southside Boularderie
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of a dear wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend, Mary Sarah “Sadie” Williams on Friday, September 27, 2019, at Youville Home in St. Albert, Alberta, at the age of 95 ¾ years.
Born in Southside Boularderie on November 18, 1923 – it was always a family joke that she celebrated her birthday on November 17 and it was not until later in life when she received her birth certificate that they realized her birthday was actually November 18, so from that time forward she always celebrated for two days. She grew up on the farm in Boularderie, and in her late teens she went to Sydney to work as a housekeeper and later as a waitress. It was while she was working as a waitress that she met her first husband, Walter Sealey during WW II. They were married on August 12, 1944, and sadly Walter was lost at sea on November 25, 1944 on the HMCS Shawinigan. She moved back to the farm, and it was not until many years later she met another sailor, her Darling Cariad, Richard “Taffy” at the Venetian Gardens in Sydney, and the rest as they say is history. While they lived in Montreal for a number of years, her heart was always in Cape Breton, and they moved back in 1973 and were long-time residents of Southside Boularderie. It was only in 2015 that they moved to Alberta to be closer to family due to medical reasons.
She was predeceased by her parents, Florence and Michael Gillis, her first husband Walter Sealey and her partner and husband of 56 years, Richard “Taffy” Williams. She was also predeceased by three sisters, Margaret (Frank) Allison, Rhonda (Charles) Ellis, and Anne Portenier, and one brother, Ernie Gillis.
She is survived by her son Walter (Norma) Sealey, daughter Jane (Tom) Davis, and daughter of her heart Rita (Ted) Connors. She was the loving grandmother to Amie (Allan), Todd, Jennifer (Tony), Thomas and Michael, and has 5 great-grandchildren (Ashley, Brandon, Jarrod, Logan and Marcus). She is also survived by one sister, Florence (John) Henderson and sisters-in-law, Mary Ann Sealey, Glenys Williams, and Doris (Jack) Hughes, and numerous nieces and nephews who knew her affectionately as “Auntie Sadie”.
She loved her little piece of Boularderie Island, and the house was always open to friends and family. No matter what was going on she had time to share a cup of tea and her famous apple pie, and could be heard to say “sit down – you don’t have to go yet”. She loved to travel and meet new people – if she sat beside you on the plane, she would have your life story and through her many travels, she made many friends who kept in touch years after meeting each other. Her favorite pastimes were cards (45s at Southside Boularderie and Big Bras d’Or Firehalls), Bingo and bowling. She loved to play cards around the kitchen table with a wager and maybe a beverage or two to make things interesting. Many world problems were solved over cards at the kitchen table. “Big Red” as she was known to her family was always on the go, and she said it was what kept her young. She was involved in her community and was the President of the Ladies Auxiliary for the Southside Boularderie Firehall for many years.
She leaves behind a legacy of love and laughter, lessons on how to face the hills and valleys of life with faith, grace and humor. She will forever be in our hearts and our inspiration and source of strength in our life’s journey.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Joachim’s Parish or the Southside Boularderie Fire Department. Visitation for Mary Sarah “Sadie” Williams will be held today, (Thursday) October 3, 2019, from 2-4 & 7-9 p.m. in J. M. Jobes Funeral Home, Sydney Mines. A celebration of her life will take place on Friday, at 1:30 p.m. in St. Joachim’s Church, Southside Boularderie, with Fr. Peter McLeod officiating. The burial will be in the parish cemetery. A reception will be held in the Southside Boularderie Firehall after the service. Words of comfort may be forwarded to her family at www.jmjobesfuneralhome.com
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Mary Sarah ‘Sadie’ Gillis Williams..
Death notice for the town of: Sydney-Mines, Province: Nova Scotia