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Obituaries

Mary-Clare McLean Binns

September 21, 1944 - April 24, 2018

Text:

Obituary For Mary-Clare McLean Binns

Mary-Clare Binns, resident of Grande Prairie, AB, formerly of Prescott, ON, passed away on Tuesday, April 24, 2018, peacefully at home.

Mary-Clare was born September 21, 1944 in Brockville, ON.

After starting her nursing career in Ontario, she relocated to Alberta, where she met her husband, Donald Binns.

Initially, Mary-Clare worked in General Nursing at Kingston Ontario Hospital and then moved on to become the Director of Nursing at the Addiction Centre in Toronto, Ontario. Later, she worked as an Assistant Head Nurse in the Cardiac Care Unit at Calgary General Hospital in 1969. However, Mary-Clare’s desire to pursue a master’s degree was put on hold so she could focus on starting a family.

In 1972, Mary Clare moved to Grande Prairie, Alberta with her husband. She continued working as a nurse, taking shifts at the Grande Prairie Hospital and serving as an Air Ambulance Nurse, transporting patients to Edmonton. In the evenings, Mary-Clare also taught Lamaze classes from her home to help fill a need in her community. Eventually, Alberta Government Health hired her to teach educational nursing seminars to various Northern Alberta hospital nursing staff.

Mary-Clare was part of the commissioning team for the opening of the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital in 1985. The following year, she accepted the position of Home Care Coordinator with Alberta Health, where she traveled to the County of Grande Prairie and the City of Grande Prairie to visit residences and Home Care Facilities in the towns.

In her later years, Mary-Clare took up term positions with the Grande Prairie Regional College (now Northwestern Polytechnic) as a nursing program instructor and part time home care coordinator, which involved traveling to Grande Cache. She was a fixture in many Northwestern Alberta communities. In 2001 the College of Registered Nurses of Alberta, CRNA, awarded Mary-Clare Binns the Nursing Excellence in Clinical Practice award during a ceremony in Edmonton, Alberta. She had been nominated by her peers.

Mary-Clare Binns viewed nursing as a calling, not just a job or a paycheck. She was one of many Florence Nightingale caregivers. Unfortunately, Mary-Clare’s career was cut short by illness. She began experiencing mobility issues, which were later diagnosed as MSA(Multiple System Atrophy). Mary-Clare, now, was coordinating her own care with the assistance of her assigned home care coordinator. This enabled her to stay in her home till the end.

Mary-Clare always put others before herself, and was a patient, kind, intelligent, and a non-judgmental woman. Her contributions to the community involved the following: Lions club, prenatal classes, Mother’s Day out, Discovery weekends, hockey mom and owner/operator of the children’s taxi service, home care nurse coordinator, planning commission member for QEII hospital, nursing program instructor at GPRC, Scouts Canada, speech judge for 4H and Vocation Bible School. She loved spending winter in Palm Springs, a good book, loved playing cards with her grandkids, and trips with her sisters to the corner store (sometimes she went alone).

She will be remembered by her husband Donald; and children: Andrea (Ross), Morgan (Leah), Martha, Daniel (Allison), and Patrick (Fiona). Also, her grandchildren: Jane, Linden, Alexa, Laura, Denton, Fraser, Rory, and Piper; siblings: Patricia McLean and Allan (Nancy) McLean; as well as all that knew Mary-Clare Binns.

She was predeceased by her parents Jean and Ken McLean, sister Constance E. Wells, brother Allen Poinsett, niece Kimberly Wells, nephew David Wells, and brother in-law Romaine Wells.

Prayers will be held on Sunday, April 29, 2018, at 7:00pm, at Oliver’s Funeral Home in Grande Prairie (10005 107 Ave.).

Funeral Mass will be held on Monday, April 30, 2018, at 1:00pm, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Grande Prairie (10404 102 St.).

Interment will be held for Mary-Clare on Saturday, October 5, 2024, at 11:00 AM at the Valhalla Cemetery.

Memorial Donations may be made to Camp He-Ho-Ha (Camp Health, Hope & Happiness Box 182, Seba Beach, AB,T0E 2B0).

Services

30 Apr

Funeral Service

13:00 PM

St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church - Grande Prairie , Get Directions »
by Obituary Assistant

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Condolences

  • June 24, 2021

    Cameron Judy

    Our deepest sympathy. We enjoyed Mary-Clare as a friend neighbor and colleague. We will miss her. Our thoughts are with you. Judy & Chuck

  • June 24, 2021

    Porter Gary

    Mary Clare is one of my high school friends that I remember best. She was a wonderful young woman and was good at music which was one of my areas as well. I was syartled to. Ome acrpss her memorial notice just today here on Vancouver Island. The world is missing someone special

  • June 24, 2021

    Binns Donald

    The following was read at the prayer service: The world functions in many ways but not without clean water & WOMEN. I was blessed to have a good woman, Mary-Clare picked me. I knew that nurse Mary-Clare was getting serious about spending our lives together when she asked; Are your parents still married? How is your health? Anyone in your family or your cousins die young with heart conditions or other hereditary diseases? At this point I thought, getting short of breath, I need to move on or commit. Mary-Clare had knowledge and a brain that functioned at a high level of activity and competence. Before GOOGLE, I would send my queries to her, the answers were always accurate and made sense. I told her I did not know that you could source all that knowledge from reading harlequin romance novels. Mary-Clare was always up early in the morning, dressed and hair combed. She did this to the last day. She was always a healthy person and I do not remember any real sick days until the last 5 days of her life. We did have some discussions and debates, and when Mary-Clare was loosing, she calmly said,"I do not want to talk about this any longer". Mary-Clare was not all good you should know. she did slip up three times in 40 years and I would remember these "out of character" times. -All kids dragging to catch the school bus in the morning and she hollered " THE F$#KING BUS IS COMING"-I quickly and quietly left. -One morning she threw a small heavy bell at me that bounced off the head board. I guess her night was not good! -Once a trusted person caused me issues, She told me "I will rip her face off if I see her!" Mary-Clare enjoyed, as did I, raising a family, working, the people of the community and living in Grande Prairie since 1972. It was our home, as all our family were in Ontario and California. Her Real passion was nursing, which was a vocation to her- not a job.

  • June 24, 2021

    Savage Ray

    I alwYs enjoyed speaking with your mom, she was a very special person. Thoughts and prayers at this difficult time

  • June 24, 2021

    Nykiforuk Vic and Joy

    Don and family we are shocked today to hear of Mary Clareâ??s passing. Please accept our deepest condolences for your family's loss. Words cannot even begin to express our sorrow. May your heart and soul find peace and comfort. Our thoughts and prayers go out to you and all your family Vic and Joy Nykiforuk and family

  • June 24, 2021

    McLean Patricia

    My sisterâ??s funeral is today, Monday, at St. Joseph Church in Grande Prairie where, over many years, she was very involved. Mary Clare and Don have 5 children and now 9 grandchildren â?? on whom she lavished love and gifts of every kind. The more excitement there was around her, the better she liked it! What she considered her lifeâ??s work was her nursing. She worked in Public Health for years and she had a philosophy of care which she practiced faithfully. In the last 3 years she has required full time care, and she continued to live that philosophy. Her care givers said she was the perfect patient and the best teacher. Mary Clare came with me for my first visit to â??The Pinesâ?? in 1956. She was 11 years old. Many times since she has visited and has always loved the welcome she received. She marvelled at the care we gave to each other. When I had my accident in 2015, she was unable to come, but she wrote a letter of thanks to the Ursuline community thanking all for the wonderful care I was given. At this time, you have expressed your love and care in ways I can hardly believe. You are returning to her and her family the gift she cherished and lived all her life Thank you so much for your hugs, kind words, good wishes, flowers and gifts of prayer and Masses. They have buoyed me up in this time of loss. They are also a strength to my brother, Allan and to Mary Clareâ??s husband and family. Blessings on you all. May Mary Clare bask in eternal lightâ?¦and heavenly care!

  • June 24, 2021

    Reaume Rick and Heidi

    Hello Don. Ambrose sent me a note today that Marie Claireâ??s funeral is tomorrow. So sorry to hear of her passing. Our sincere condolences to you and the family. We will not be able to attend but we send prayers of peace. She will surely be one of the angels above as she was an angel in this life. I will be in Whitehorse this week and will call. Rick and Heidi.

  • June 24, 2021

    Gallant Bonnie

    So sorry to hear of your loss. Mary Claire will always have a special place in my heart, not only for my time knowing her in GP , but more so since our conversations over the pass few years. She was a wonderful and compassionate loving Woman. I feel blessed to have known her. Please accept my sincere condolences ❤️

  • June 24, 2021

    Rguski Lillian

    Our hearts are broken in the loss of our wonderful beautiful Mary Claire. She always treated us as her own family and welcomed us always with her special love. We know she did that with everyone that she cared about and we send our love and prayers to you Don and your family. Our family would love to be able to be with you to celebrate the life of our cherished friend but we have my mom in hospital and are unable to attend. All our love to you Morgan Martha Daniel Patrick and family.

  • June 24, 2021

    N/A Anonymous

    You guys are my mom and dad... and your kids are my brothers and sister. Love you very much.

  • June 24, 2021

    Blais Kathy

    Thoughts and prayers with the family. She will be missed.

  • June 24, 2021

    Newman Elaine

    A special person, a special face, Someone we love and can't replace, Never selfish, always kind, There are the memories she's left behind. My sincere condolences go out to Don and the entire family.

  • June 24, 2021

    Sterrett David

    My condolences to Mary Clare's family. We were but passing high school friends from many years ago but once Mary Clare touched your life she left a lasting impression - in her case a good one.

  • June 24, 2021

    Kingston Eleanor

    Don & family So sorry for your loss. I will always remember her friendliness & kindness.- she had a great spirit. She was on my prayer list for the past months. May you find comfort in her passing by remembering the happy times you shared. I wish you peace. Sincerely, Eleanor

  • June 24, 2021

    Lythgoe Pauline (Paula)

    Those we love donâ??t go away they walk beside us everyday unseen unheard but alaways near still loved still missed and very dear. Thoughts are with Uncle Donald and my cousins plus their families at this time I send hugs and prayers.

  • June 24, 2021

    Whetham Harlen

    Donald,so sorry to hear of Mary-Claire's passing, we did not get to spend a lot of time with her but what we did will always be memorable . We kind of grew apart for a time but because of Mary-Claire and Diane, (late wife) and their never failing Christmas cards we made it thanks to them. We were both very fortunate or lucky to have had them for the time we did

  • June 24, 2021

    Diamante Marlene

    Please accept our most heartfelt sympathies for your loss...our thoughts are with you and your family during this difficult time Love Marlene Diamante and Family

  • June 24, 2021

    Thomas Titus Wanda

    Myself and our family are very sorry for the loss of Aunt Mary Clare. We are thinking of you Uncle Donald and our cousins at this time. We are truly sorry for your loss and will be sending strength and prayers

  • June 24, 2021

    Tebo-Allore Michele

    Thinking of you and your family Don at this difficult time. Mary-Clare was a wonderful woman and we will miss seeing her on our visits. Thoughts and prayers are with you.

  • June 24, 2021

    Whetham Harlen

    Donald, so sorry to hear about the passing of Mary-Claire. We did not get a lot of time to spend with with you and her, but what we did was always a memorable time, We had not had much contact for a while but it was her and Diane (late wife) that always kept the contact there with the never failing Christmas cards.We are both very lucky to have shared the lives we did with them. You and your family will be in our thoughts and prayers.Wish we could be there. Harlen and Sharon

We are experiencing some technical difficulties with our Obituaries.  We are working to resolve the issue as soon as possible.  Our apologies for any inconvenience.

 

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