Mary “Ethel” (Martin) Gay passed away at Nakile Home for Special Care, Argyle, N.S., April 15, 2013. Born Sept. 21, 1924, in Petit de Grat, Cape Breton, N.S., to Emmanuel Martin (Port au Port, NL) and Irene Martell (Petit de Grat, NS), Ethel moved to Summerside with her parents when she was just a toddler. In October 1947 she married C. Vernon Gay in Summerside. As a military wife Ethel lived with her family in CFB Borden, Ont.; CFB Gagetown, NB; and in Ottawa, Ont., before retiring to Nova Scotia in the 1980s. She was an avid collector of antiques, jewellery and many other beautiful items. She had a life-long interest in all things royal. She worked as a sales clerk at Hogan’s Jewellery in Fredericton, NB, and at People’s Jewellery in Ottawa before her retirement. Ethel was predeceased by her husband in 2005. She was also predeceased by an infant son, Charles Ronald Gay, and brothers Frank Martin and Walter Martin. She is survived by sisters Mary Bell Willard (Summerside) and Mary Mae Jones (Winnipeg, Man.), brothers Harold (Shirley) Martin (Summerside) and Tom (Loretta) Martin (Kensington), sons David (Jean) Martin (Kensington), Bill (Marty) Gay (Yarmouth, NS), daughters Joan Davies (Oromocto, NB), Marilyn (Bruce) Driscoll (Burton, NB), and several grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Special thanks go to management and staff of Nakile Home for Special Care and to Diane Corbett, nurse practitioner, for the excellent care and compassion shown to Ethel during the many years of her residence there. There will be a graveside service at People’s Cemetery, Summerside, at a date to be announced in the near future. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Nakile Memorial Fund or a charity of your choice. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Sweeny's Funeral Home and Crematorium, Yarmouth, N.S. Online condolences may be sent to: sweenysfh@eastlink.ca or you may sign the guestbook online at: www.sweenysfuneralhome.net.

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