In Memory of

Mary

Jane

Villeneuve

Obituary for Mary Jane Villeneuve

Peacefully at Hill House Hospice in Richmond Hill on Sunday, February 14th, 2021 in her 94th year. Born in Toronto on June 20th, 1927, Mary was the loving daughter of T. Gordon Ingoldsby and Eva Hunter. She enjoyed a happy childhood with her parents and siblings, but their world was rocked by her mother’s passing in 1935 at the tender age of 31 years old. Mary’s devoted father continued to raise his family through the remainder of the Depression and World War II. The Ingoldsbys were long time parishioners of Holy Name R.C. Church on Danforth Avenue. Mary developed many lifelong friendships as a member of the parish’s Catholic Youth Organization and as a student at both Holy Name School on Gough Avenue and St. Joseph College School (Class of 1945) on St. Alban’s Street. Mary married Conrad Thompson in 1948 and they began to raise their family - first in Toronto and then in Scarborough before moving to Richmond Hill in 1957 where they were one of the founding families of Our Lady Queen of the World R.C. Church. Mary and Con worked selflessly to provide for their nine children over their 34 years together. Mary kept very busy with the church. She served as President of the church’s Catholic Women’s League chapter and also as Regional President of the CWL. Countless hours were spent helping with church fundraisers, including the annual bazaar. Mary and Con thoroughly enjoyed participating in the church’s social activities, especially the New Year’s Eve dance. She worked for years at the Richmond Hill Day Care Centre and as the receptionist for the Stong, Blackburn & Machon Law Firm. Following her dear father’s example, Mary continued to do her best for her family after Con’s death in 1982. She loved spending time at her cottage and she continued to bowl every week. She was talented at sewing and knitting, enjoyed reading the daily paper as well as her romance novels, and her baking was second to none. Mary married Len Villeneuve in 1989 and they moved to Tottenham. For the next 16 years they weathered the storms of aging, enjoyed the company of their cat, Boots, and delighted in the additions of more grandchildren and great-grandchildren until Len’s passing in 2005. Mary then moved to Schomberg where she resided until 2016 before moving back to Richmond Hill where she lived in the Delmanor Elgin Mills community until her passing. Mary was a devoted mother to her nine children: Evelyn (Jack), Michael (deceased 2015), Teresa (Vince), Mary Louise (Bill), Frances (David), Bernadette (Don), Rosemary (Germain), Matthew, and Patrick (Gillian). She is survived by 13 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. Mary is also survived by her brother Joe Ingoldsby and her sister Clare Rynders (George), as well as many nieces and nephews. Mary was predeceased by her parents, her husbands, her son, her sister Ann, and many in-laws from both the Ingoldsby and Thompson families. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Marshall Funeral Home in Richmond Hill. Online condolences may be left at marshallfuneralhome.com. A private funeral mass for the immediate family will be celebrated on Thursday, February 18th, 2021 at Our Lady Queen of the World R.C. Church in Richmond Hill. Interment will follow at Holy Cross R.C. Cemetery in Thornhill. The family would like to thank the many caregivers who helped to look after Mary in her later years. In lieu of flowers the family requests that masses for the repose of Mary’s soul be considered. Also, donations to Hill House Hospice, the Scarboro Missions, the Passionist Fathers, the Jesuit Fathers, Chalice Catholic Charity, or Covenant House would be appreciated. To the world she was but one, but to us she was the world. A loving light has gone out in our family, but her warmth and guidance will sustain and nurture us forever. RIP