McCulloch, Mabel Lillian Nellie - It is with great sadness that we announce the peaceful passing of our beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother on October 12, 2024 after a brief stay in QEII Infirmary Site at the age of 87.
Born in Centre Burlington, she was a daughter of Harold and Lillian (Dodge) Card and sister to June, Edgar and little Stephen (who died in infancy). She grew up in the ancestral home built to be close to the water, with no electricity and minimal indoor plumbing. She loved school and gladly walked the 2 miles each way over uninhabited gravel roads to attend. Having advanced quickly through the grades she found herself at the Nova Scotia Normal College in Truro. Shortly after, still in her teen years, she was teaching in Hants Border where she shared a 2-room school with her, soon to become, lifetime friend, June Tracy-West. Two years later, she and Harding were married and she embarked on the next adventure as devoted wife and mother of seven children. In 1969 on Christmas eve, the entire family moved to Elderbank which became home for the next 53 years.
In Elderbank, in addition to raising her family, she did substitute teaching, was deeply involved with the United Church serving on numerous committees and, also, ran the Elderbank Post Office as the Post Mistress for nearly thirty years. In 2021, after suffering a broken hip complicated by the covid pandemic took up residency at Melville Gardens in Halifax. There, in residential care, our mother forged countless friendships while receiving the very best of care and affection from a loving staff. Mom loved the world and cared for everything in it. She saw goodness in everyone and frankly in everything. (Her closet might contain three new sweaters but she would still be wearing an old one until the last bit of goodness was out of it!) She made close friendships where ever she went, with none greater in her last years than her friendship with her dear friend, Mickey. Mom’s beautiful smile and forgiving nature brought light to every room she entered.
She is predeceased by her husband of fifty years, Harding. She is survived by daughter, Cynthia Parker (Jeff); sons, Byron (Roberta), Barry, Mark (Marilyn), Michael (Chrissie), Dennis (Patricia), Scott (Melinda); brother, Edgar (Johanne) and sister, June; as well as many, many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She will be dearly missed by numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral service followed by a reception will be held Saturday, October 19, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. in St. Andrews United Church, Elderbank.
The family would like to extend a special thank you to the amazing team at Melville Gardens who made our mother’s final years special ones. Donations in honour of Mabel may be made to the Lower Musquodoboit Pastoral Charge c/o 6686 Highway 357, Middle Musquodoboit, NS B0N 1X0 to which Mabel was devoted.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Arimathea Funeral Cooperative.
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