MARLYS HINMAN

MARLYS LOUISE (WORTH) HINMAN passed away peacefully at the Cardston Hospital Long Term Care Unit on Saturday, March 20, 2021 at the age of 82.

Marlys is survived by her children Connie (Dan) Henrie, Paul (Joni) Hinman, and Barbara (Clayton) Orr; 16 grandchildren; 29 great grandchildren; and siblings Melva Daley and Garry Worth. She was predeceased by her husband, Nolan, in 1984. She was also predeceased by an infant brother Harvey and a great granddaughter Della Zemp.

She was born on January 22, 1939 in Wells, B.C. to Paul and Gertie Worth. Later, when Paul was a grain elevator agent and the family lived west of Red Deer, six-year-old Marlys and her mother planned an exciting train trip to Rocky Mountain House. Marlys put on frilly white socks for the occasion. Her mother argued that the socks were no match for the muddy walk on the boggy road to the station. Marlys dug in her heels. Mother countered by saying, "If you don't change your socks, we're not going." Bad choice. They didn't go. That tenacity would be a hallmark throughout Marlys's life.

Marlys was a woman of amazing talents, inspiring strength, enduring tenacity and formidable challenges. As a young mother of three, she was a champion at all things domestic (sewing, hand-dipped chocolates, Christmas candy, thousands of heart-shaped sugar cookies), an avid gardener, a performance-level pianist, an active church member and a devoted wife to Nolan. The family split its time between Calgary (city job) and Glenwood/Fort Macleod (farm life). They eventually moved permanently to the farm near Fort Macleod. She used to say that in 1967, when Canada turned 100 and she turned 28, she was given a lifelong Centennial project: learning to deal with Multiple Sclerosis.

Throughout the next 54 years, sometimes in remission and mostly not, Marlys became an irrepressible example of living life to the fullest. She undertook an eighteen month mission for her church to North Carolina, became a family history and journaling expert, taught English Smocking on cruise ships, and satisfied her love of travel and adventure with trips to the Great Wall of China, the Panama Canal, Alaska and the Caribbean.

Through it all, her devotion to her family and her involvement in their lives was unswerving. By example more than words (although she had plenty of those, too), she demonstrated the values and life skills needed for successful living: generosity, cheerfulness, acceptance, gratitude, hope, discipline, love. When a niece once rattled off a long list of errands and obligations (mail, groceries, shopping, gas station, library books), Marlys replied, "You don't have to do any of those things. You get to do them." There isn't a person in Marlys's life who didn't learn important life lessons from her.

Marlys was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and devoted her life to serving others at church and in the community. A private graveside family service will be held at Union Cemetery, Fort Macleod.

Her family would like to thank all the wonderful people who cared for her over the years for their service, care and compassion.

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