Obituary of Mary Kenner Dyment

MARY KENNER DYMENT
DECEMBER 7, 1933 - OCTOBER 28, 2017

In her 84th year Mary Dyment passed away at her home in Toronto.  The previous weekend friends visited, and grandchildren snoozed with their Mum-Mum on her bed.  On the ground floor the grand piano, that had come with the family generations earlier from Glasgow, was played; with tea sandwiches a plenty at the ready.  She passed much as she had lived, with grace and style.

She grew up in Stratford, Ontario until her childhood was interrupted by the Second World War when her father, a colonel and medical doctor, and her mother accompanying her husband, left to contribute to the war effort.  These events saw Mary at Bishop Strachan School, and she would from then spend more of her time in Toronto than not.  During these years she began to emerge as a singles figure skater and in 1953 represented our country at the World Figure Skating Championships in Davos, Switzerland.

Mary was a graduate of the University of Western Ontario.  As a young adult her leadership and discipline found her contributing to such organizations as the Junior Committee of the Art Gallery of Ontario as a board member and as president.  Later she contributed to the Genesis Research Foundation for Women's Health as a founding member and trustee, to the Friends of Rideau Hall as a co-chair, and to The Stratford Festival as an active board member.

The centre piece of her life was her family, her 53 years of marriage to Douglas Ray Dyment, her children, her grandchildren, her parents and her brother.  As she recently said, “These are the greatest gifts of life.”  She might have easily added to this, her many friends and their mutual devotion.

Mary and Doug loved to travel, play tennis, ski, sail, scuba dive and keenly followed tennis and world events.

Mary is predeceased by Douglas her husband, who died in September of last year, and by her mother Agnes Faill Kenner, her father Doctor Harold Brown Kenner, and her brother Alexander.  Mary leaves loving, grateful family members: her children David and Deirdre; her step-son Philip Dyment, her daughter-in-law Jane Gurr; her grandchildren Alexander Taylor, Oliver Dyment, Summer Taylor, and Claire Dyment; and step-grandchildren Gabrielle Dyment and Jack Dyment.

As one of her friends said “Mary was kind, optimistic, with a sense of adventure and always present humour, life around Mary was simply more fun.”

A celebration of Mary’s life will be held with family and friends from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 9th at 135 St. George Street, Toronto.

If desired, a donation to Ovarian Cancer Canada or The Stratford Festival would be appreciated.  Condolences, photographs and memories may be forwarded through www.humphreymilesnewbigging.com.