1937 – 2025

Nigadoo – Mrs. Mary Neeleman died a natural, peaceful death on the last day of summer on Sunday August 31, 2025, at the Chaleur Regional Hospital, Bathurst, after having to spend only ten days away from her beloved cottage on the shore of Bay Chaleur.

Born in Petit-Rocher, she was the daughter of the late Alphée and Thérèse (Boudreau) Roy.

The homestead in Nigadoo, only miles south from her Acadian heritage in Petit Rocher, proved to be a sanctuary cherished by Mary and her husband, John Neeleman. It was a meeting point for her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren from three continents. Whether we flew in from Japan, Finland or Western Canada, Mary and John would welcome us with open arms and open hearts. Being the mother and grandmother she was, she hated to see us return to our distant homes.

Three key characteristics of our mother’s life were courage, grit and service for the public good. It took courage for a young elementary school girl named Mary Roy to attempt to assimilate in a strange environment when her family moved to Halifax during the war years. It took courage for a young woman in her twenties named Mary Hall recovering from cancer to leave behind a middle-class lifestyle in the bungalows to feed and support four young children as a single mother. And it took courage to stand up to a yet evolving educational system in Bathurst to fight for her son in need of special education. Grit, that inner resilience and determination to persevere through adversity and push past perceived limits, is an element our mother possessed in spades.

Mary had two passions in her life - singing and dancing. Whether it was musicals in her youth or a song she heard on the radio (which she of course knew by heart), music infused her life and that of at least three of her grandchildren: one being a gifted pianist, another a teacher of classical guitar and one an accomplished male choir conductor. As for dance, Mary had no difficulty jumping onboard the Zumba craze that she pursued well into her 80s. She kept her legs in shape by doing “the steps” at home. The social element of her hobbies and hospitality is certainly one reason for her longevity.

Mary’s purpose in life revolved around a reading program she designed and promoted for young children and the illiterate. This was first in response to her son’s need for remedial reading and grew into a commitment to aid others in similar situations. She is responsible for teaching countless children the skill and love of reading in the Bathurst area. Her legacy in this regard will live on for generations to come. Even more so, given the fact that three of her children have pursued a career in the field of education.

The blessed John, whom she married in 1982, was the strongest pillar in her life. He would support and love her for her final forty-three years on this beautiful planet of ours. This act of divine intervention illustrates the power of love that can ascend upon a person who has experienced numerous challenges in life. John would provide the anchor which allowed our mother to flourish as an individual and educator. He provided a home for both of them to experience stunning sunrises and the chatter of lobster fisherman close to shore. He provided a home that allowed them to spend the year round in a warm and loving presence distanced from the madding crowd.

Besides her husband, she is survived by three children:

Steven Hall (Leena) of Finland, Donna Hall (Sid Jarratt) of Calgary, AB and Peter Hall (Yasuo) of Japan.

Nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

One brother, Roger Roy (Connie Dugas) of Dunlop.

Several nieces and nephews.

Besides her parents, she was pre-deceased by a son, Patrick, two brothers, Raymond, Gérald and a sister, Stella.

There will be no visitation at the funeral home. A celebration of life will be held on Friday September 26, 2025, at 2 p.m. from Elhatton’s Funeral Home Chapel (www.elhatton.com), Bathurst.

So, rest in peace in the knowledge that all is well;

what’s past was meant to be

so that those who follow

can rest assured

that the steps they take

fall upon a bed of pebbles

washed and smoothened

by the ebb and flow of life past.