Obituary of Mae GOMMERMAN

It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of Mae Elaine Gommerman nee Palmer Thursday, January 26, 2017. Born on July 5, 1936 Mae had just celebrated her 80th birthday. Mae and Adam were married in the summer of 1954, when she was barely 18, in Thunder Bay and had 3 children, Dixie, Stephen and Gayle. In 1969, they moved the family to Calgary for Adam’s job. Mae worked at various companies over the years doing accounting work. She was always amazingly creative. We had the most beautiful Christmas trees, even before the designer ones. She did Artex fabric painting spending all night painting edging on sheets, pillow cases, scarves, etc. as gifts for people. She crafted Adam’s amazing collector records into wall hangings, melting, shaping, spray painting them and gluing on plastic bobbles. He was not a happy guy when he realized, what the base of her creations actually were. Later she turned to paper tole and when she found the framing too expensive, she bought a framing shop. In 1985, Mae suffered a major stroke. This was a terrible blow to the family and she required much care, mostly provided by Adam, until his passing in 2004. Much of her recovery and abilities after the stroke could be chalked up to his dedication and her drive to her rehabilitation. Many thought she would not be around much after he passed and yet, she lived on her own, did a bit of travelling and spent as much time as she wanted gallivanting around Calgary by handibus or taxi pushing her wheelchair through the malls and casinos. After her stroke, she discovered painting mostly acrylic and watercolour and was quite talented even though she was using her “other” hand. As her health deteriorated, her spirit did not. She had falls, that resulted in broken bones, infections that resulted in hospital visits, daily disappearances to the casino and the malls that resulted in upset daughters that were trying to keep track of her. And yet away she went. She did not show up for family photos because she decided she was too wrinkled and yet was all for her grandson busting her out of the hospital one day to go to Phil’s, the local pancake place over a kilometer away from the hospital for brunch, getting rolled both ways in the wheelchair wearing a blue hospital gown, flannel hospital blanket and with her catheter bag hanging out. She loved the Queen, the Royal Family, the Kennedy’s and Nancy Grace on TV. If any of those had an event or a crisis happening, we knew she wouldn’t be running around town. 2016 was a rough year for Mae, most of the first half of the year was spent fighting for her very life in the hospital. Many ups and downs and all options were pursued until finally we were told in November that there were no more options and even yet she persevered. She stayed alive because of her total love of life, her grandchildren being the biggest part of that. They were all her favorites depending on the day! And yet she really didn’t have favorites but loved each one the most, she always said. She was at peace at the end, completely aware but certainly she was with mixed emotions. There was massive sadness of leaving behind family and friends especially Samantha, Lisa, Stephen, Jen and Scott. She had the ultimate FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out)… she hated leaving this earth before the unfinished business of Jen and Scott’s wedding that is coming up and she was blatantly adamant to stick around if there was any potential of great grandchildren. This was offset by the thoughts of rejoining her beloved Adam, her son Stephen, her brother Dale and so many other family and friends that were waiting for her in heaven. Mae is survived by her daughters, Dixie Inman (Vaughn), Gayle Allison (Graeme);grandson Stephen; grand-daughters, Lisa, Jennifer and Samantha; future son-in-law Scott Mooney; her best friend and partner-in-crime, Marie Free; her sisters, Dixie Taber, June Gaw and their families in Thunder Bay; sister-in-law Donna Norby as well as many other relatives and friends. Mae was predeceased by her Adam, her husband of 49 years in April 2004; father Elmer Palmer when she was only 7 years old; son Stephen Gommerman in 1980; her brother Dale Norby in 1991; her mother Dagmar Norby 2001. Respecting Mae’s wishes, a private celebration of life is being held on Sunday January 29 in Calgary. A graveside service will be held in the spring where her ashes will rest with her husband and son, in Union Cemetery overlooking downtown Calgary and her favorite place, the Elbow River Casino. The family wishes to thank Dr. Valdecanes and the staff at Southwood Care Centre, Bonavista Unit for the care and love shown to Mae and our family over the past 7 years and especially the last few months.