Obituary of Mary Margaret Vassbotn

VASSBOTN- Mary

 The Vassbotn families from both North Bay and Norway, the Flynns and Robbs from Kingston and the Scanlans from Toronto are united in grief this past weekend, with the passing of Mary Vassbotn.  She departed, like the angel she was, on Good Friday night, into the arms of her loving husband Rolf, who had been waiting patiently for her in Valhalla.

  Mary is survived by her four sons Chris (Japan), Gary (North Bay; spouse-Wenda Caswell), Peter (Singapore, spouse-Phyllis Yew) and Jan(Alberta, spouse -Marie-Soleil Pinet), along with grandchildren Jane, Erin, Phoebe and Finn.  She was predeceased by her parents Leonard and Gertrude Flynn, brother Gerard Flynn and sisters Geraldine (Robb) and Claire (Scanlan).

   Mary Margaret Flynn was born in Tamworth, Ontario in 1932. Her lifelong devotion to the career of nursing was enriched in a Vancouver hospital in 1956 when she met a sailor from Norway, Rolf Vassbotn.  In the time it takes the wind to fill the sail of a Viking ship, Mary and Rolf were soon married in Kristiansand, Norway. They moved to North Bay and settled down by Trout Lake.  “It looks just like the fjords of Norway,” said Mary at the time.

  Mary Vassbotn was the ultimate caregiver; raising four boys in the 1960’s while working nights at St. Joseph’s Hospital.  She carried the bundle of busy hours on her back with smiles and positivity; playing tennis and bridge, sailing and doing volunteer work with the Cancer Society and IODE.  She loved the Vassbotn camping trips to Turtle Lake as much as she loved the ski trips to Nipissing Ridge and the ‘floaters on the lake’ attended by other members of the ‘Uneven Avenue Fambly’.

    When her Viking husband Rolf passed away in 2009, Mary carried on, still smiling despite the onset of age and the decline of memory, humming to herself and whispering words of wisdom.

    Let It Be.

    Friends and family, Mary can be visited Friday April 26th at Martyn Funeral Home between 2 and 4 pm, or 7 and 9 pm.

    A funeral celebration of Mary’s life will be held at the Pro Cathedral in North Bay Saturday April 27th at 10 am.