Obituary of Mary Veronica Noel

Mary Veronica (Steen) Noel left all pain and weakness behind her when she passed away at the Saint John Regional Hospital on the morning of Dec. 22, 2023, following a brief illness, during which her family was at her side.

Mary was born on August 19, 1946, in Saint John, NB, as the third child of Francis and Mary Dorothy (Estey) Steen. She graduated from St. Vincents High School in 1964, and then completed Teacher’s College in Fredericton. Aside from the two years in Fredericton, Mary lived her whole life in Saint John, and was a loyal Westsider, viewing it as a minor act of treason whenever any of her family moved to another part of the city.

Mary taught elementary school at St. John the Baptist until she began her family, then worked as a substitute teacher for many years on and off, mostly at Forest Hills School and St. Patrick’s. She also held a number of other full- and part-time jobs from time to time around town when she could spare the time from raising her girls.

Mary was a lifetime Roman Catholic, and a devout member of Our Lady of the Assumption Parish. She participated fully in parish life and was a longtime member of the choir.

Her pride and joy was her family: her beloved husband, Tom; her daughters, Janine and Paula; and later her grandchildren. When her children were young the family spent summers together camping in various locations before they settled on St. Martins. Mary shared her love of the outdoors with her daughters and spent many happy hours walking and exploring, especially by the ocean. She enjoyed singing together around the campfire, and with the extended family any time of year, at any gathering. Born with a love of music, Mary became proficient on the bodhran, then later on the ukelele. Mary loved to sing, and joined her husband Tom later in her life to sing harmonies and play the bodhran as they entertained at venues around the city. She served as emcee for a few years at the Blacks Harbour Jam on Sunday afternoons. Until recent years, she was also a member of Comhaltas, and helped to promote Irish traditional music at various venues. Mary spent the past decade struggling with one serious illness after another, but enjoyed life and social activities, and was always fiercely loyal to her family and her friends, many of whom she had had since her school days. Her sweet smile and her stubbornness will be sadly missed by those of us she leaves behind.

Mary was pre-deceased by her parents, her sister Joan Steen, brothers Bill, Brian and John Steen, and her beloved granddaughter Genna Cormier. She is survived by her dearly-loved husband of 55 years, Tom Noel, her daughters Janine (Aaron) Savoie and Paula (Tracey Lavigne) Noel, her grandson Michael Cormier and granddaughters Katie Noel and Hannah DeGrace, as well as her sisters, Patricia (David) Driscoll of Saint John and Betty Kyle of Calgary, her aunt Margaret Hogan of Miramichi, a huge number of nephews, nieces, cousins and in-laws, and, of course, the Epiphany Club Girls.

Arrangements are under the care and direction of Castle “Fallsview” Funeral Home, 309 Lancaster Ave, Saint John, NB. Visitation for Mary will be held on Thursday, Dec. 28th from 2- 4 pm and 6-8 pm. A mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m., Friday, Dec. 29th, at Our Lady of Assumption Church, Dufferin Row, Saint John, with a reception to follow at Castle “Fallsview”. Donations in Mary’s memory to a charity of the donor’s choice would be appreciated. To make online condolences please visit www.castlefh.ca.