Mary (Spence) Dick

              With great sadness and heavy hearts, we announce the peaceful passing of our beloved matriarch, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great grandmother, aunt, cousin, godmother, Elder, and a dear friend. She went home at sunrise to be with her Lord and Saviour, surrounded by her loving daughters at her bedside at Thompson General Hospital.

              Mom was born on April 30, 1932, to James Albert Spence and Ellen Spence (Nepitabo) at Split Lake Reserve. While growing up in Split Lake, Mom attended Elkhorn Residential School and carried the strength and resilience of a Residential School Survivor throughout her life.  

Mom met the love of her life Danial Edward Dick where they joined in marriage on July 12,1948 in Split Lake, Manitoba and shared a devoted marriage until dad’s passing on January 16, 2004.  They were blessed with 55 years of marriage. Mom and Dad raised their children on the CN rail line, their first post was the Lynn Lake line at Hemen and Charles, their next post was Luke (mile 314) on the Churchill line, it was then dad put in a bid to Cormorant and was accepted, it was here where they made their homestead in 1963.

Mom was gifted and used her talents such as beading necklaces, guitar straps, and making gauntlets, hats and moccasins for her family and friends with her assistant, our dad.

Mom also played the harmonica and would perform in various showcases throughout Manitoba with dad, mom’s favourite song to play was “You are my sunshine”.  Mom’s passion for music carried onto her children where she supported and encouraged her sons and grandsons to play music.

Mom held several jobs throughout in her early years, such as a homemaker at Cormorant Lodge, a bus monitor and most of all she was dad’s sidekick, she would write down the line up (trains running through on that day way freight or passenger).

Mom loved playing bingo and at times won pretty big payouts. Mom loved to watch wrestling and never missed a show. She also enjoyed her favourite television programs and watched the news channel. Whenever Mom was coming to visit, we all knew to have the wrestling channels and to know the Bingo hall’s schedules.

After dad’s passing, mom lived with Caroline, William and family until 2018.  It was then she relocated to Thicket Portage where she lived with Florence, Marcel and family making it her permanent home until her passing.

Mom will be forever known by her grandchildren as Super Gran, a title that no one could ever replace. She was blessed to see five generations of her family, and she treasured every one of them.

Mom had a wonderful sense of humour that could brighten any room, and thankfully, that gift has been passed down through our family. 

Together mom and dad raised 14 children - she leaves to cherish her memory, her Sons: Tobil (Christine), Elijah (Kathy), John (Eleanor), Dennis (Veronica), Glen, and Andy (Beverly); and her Daughters: Maria Genaille, Fanny Beardy (George), Lucy, Florence Dick (Marcel), Darlene Shlachetka (Raymond), and Lillian Campeau (Alec). Daughter in Law: Mary Dick, Son in Law: William Keeper.

Predeceased: by her Parents, James Albert and Ellen Spence (Nepitabo). Husband, Daniel Edward Dick. Son, Gordon Dick. Daughter, Caroline Keeper. Son in law, Marcel Genaille.  Grandsons, Tyler Dick, Jamie Dick, Luke Dick, Cody-wah Dick. Granddaughter, Shauna Dick. Great grandsons, Rayden Dick, Avery Dick, Turek Scott, Dayden Storm Keeper, Baby Bel Flett. Great granddaughters, Jayna Dick, Taylor Martin, Great great-grandson, Ondrej Beardy.  Great great-granddaughter, Jayda Dick. Brothers, Jack Spence, George Spence.  Sisters, Jean Cook, Sarah Spence and Lucy Napoakesik. Brother in laws, Samson Dick, Douglas Dick and Harold (Bayline) Flett; Sister In Laws, Betsy Peters, Maggie Flett, Dora Kirkness and Sarah Dick. Father and Mother-in-Law, Adam and Maria Dick (McPherson). We apologize if we forgot anyone, it was not intentional. 

WAKE SERVICE

Monday, July 13, 2026

St. Luke’s Anglican Church 2:00 p.m.

Cormorant Lake School Gymnasium 5:00 p.m.

FUNERAL SERVICE

Tuesday, July 14, 2026 11:00 a.m.

Cormorant Lake School Gymnasium

Presider: Rev.

Charlie Lathlin

INTERMENT

Tuesday, July 14, 2026

Cormorant Community Cemetery 

Pallbearers

Mom’s forty-four (44) first-generation grandsons.

Honorary Pallbearers

Caroline Ouskan, John Flett, Margaret Myers, Rita Porsnuk,

Helen and Art Fenner, Nora-Jean Wavey, Mary Spence,

Agnes Pronteau, Solomon Pronteau, Agnes Genaille, Jessie Duffy

and Belinda Vandenbroeck.

The Dick Family would like to extend our warmest appreciation and gratitude to Thompson General Hospital Palliative Care, the community members of Thicket Portage, Tataskweyak Cree Nation (TCN) Chief and Council and community members, TCN Gaming, Cormorant Lake School, St. Luke’s Anglican Church, Cormorant, Boardman Funeral Home, Hemauer Funeral Home, Reverand Charlie Lathlin, TCN Gospel Singers, Russell Cook Memorial Singers, and to those who reached out to the family during this time.