Mary Elizabeth Alexander
May 21, 1944 – August 4, 2025
The family of Mary Beth is saddened to share that our beloved wife, Momsey and grandmother passed away at the Dryden Regional Health Center on August 4, 2025. Her passing was peaceful, and she was surrounded by family. Mary Beth courageously fought an eighteen-month battle with a rare cancer; her quiet strength during this illness reminded us that she had always led our family in the same way.
Mary Beth was born to Martin and Mary Ellen (Rice) Manion and grew up on the Manion family farm in West Luther, Ontario. She recalled with great joy life on the farm, the tight knit Irish community and the family times at the piano, fiddle and crokinole board. She attended the U.S.S. #10 elementary school, Mount Forest District High School and completed what was called at the time a Special Commercial Certificate, in preparation for office work.
Mary Beth left the farm and moved with friends to Waterloo becoming a clerk at both Dominion Life Assurance and Waterloo Public Utilities. She met Charlie on a weekend with friends at Sauble Beach and they were married at St. Michael’s Church in Waterloo in 1967. She and Charlie owned a four-plex in Waterloo and later when the kids arrived, built a home.
Moving to Dryden in 1980 Mary Beth was, first, a stay-at-home Mom shuttling her kids to activities and helping at St. Joseph’s School in the library and with hot dog day. She was a long-time member of the Catholic Women’s League. Mary Beth loved reading and burning brush at the cabin her and Charlie built on Dinorwic Lake.
Mary Beth spent 23 years at BDO (Dunwoody) in Dryden and enjoyed great laughs with Olga Benjamin and Ann Denzler.
Her favourite things later in life were Skyping with her kids and grandkids, spending time on the screened in porch (especially when storms were rolling in), tending the flowers, watching the Blue Jays and reading news on the internet.
She shared a special relationship with Mary Helie and the family cannot thank Mary and Bob enough for their friendship over the years.
Mary Beth had a sharp wit and was by far the smartest member of our family; she was so well read and well versed in history, politics and current events. She continued cracking jokes and watching the news and the Jays while in the hospital.
Mary Beth is survived by Charlie, her loving and devoted husband of 58 years, daughter Cheryl (Russell) Brownlee, son Chris (Cindy) and daughter Mary Anne (Rick) as well as grandchildren Emma, Carter, William and Matthew. She will be dearly missed by her siblings with whom she maintained a close relationship despite their distance apart – Shirley Troy, John Manion, Joan (Erwin) Arthur and Paul (Cathy) Manion. She treasured her sister-in-law Ann Czinkota and brothers-in-law Sam Alexander and Dan (Karen) Alexander and sister-in-law Doretta Glessing. Predeceased by siblings David Manion and Donald Manion as well as Bradley Alexander, Charles Czinkota, Gerry Troy, Ray and Elsie Realini, Dick Glessing, Garnet and Ann Alexander and Merna Alexander. She is survived by many nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank Father Mahoney, the DRHC nurses and doctors, Dr. Moir, Dryden home care/nursing and in particular, Dr. Viherjoki.
In lieu of flowers donations are appreciated to: Dryden’s Second Chance Pet Network, Box 343, Dryden, ON P8N 2Z1 or to the St. Patrick’s Church in Proton: use this link and choose “yes I want to dedicate my donation” completing the field with “St. Patrick’s Proton MB Alexander” https://hamiltondiocese.com/ways-to-give/online-to-the-diocese/. Cheques with the same dedication note can be sent to the Diocese of Hamilton, 700 King St W, Hamilton, ON L8P 1C7.
A Celebration of Life will take place on Monday, August 11, 2025 at 11:30 a.m. at the Dryden Community Funeral Home with Father Mike Mahoney officiating. Interment in St. Patrick’s Cemetery near Mary Beth’s family farm is to be held at a later date.
“Dryden Community Funeral Home is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Mary Alexander Funeral Service
Time: Aug 11, 2025 11:30 AM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88486062404?pwd=QtFN04AggdIHXNLL0l6BqXazesZqwa.1
Meeting ID: 884 8606 2404
Passcode: 368234
Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kei4loZwcR”
Condolences may be posted to www.dcfh.ca
Arrangements entrusted to the Dryden Community Funeral Home,
249 Grand Trunk Ave. Dryden, ON P8N 2X3
