Yellowknife (Mar 20/00) - Mae Wright of Hay River passed away last Thursday at the age of 91. Mae grew up in Oak River, Man. She completed her nurse's training at St. Boniface Hospital at St. Boniface, Man. While nursing in Flin Flon, she met her husband Don. In an interview in 1983, Mae said she was busy ever since she arrived in Hay River.

Mae came North in October 1949 with her husband Don and three daughters, Marliss, Linda and Nancy. They opened a hardware store. Don had built the building earlier on Vale Island and went back to bring the family and the stock for the store to Hay River. The family took up residence in a specially built apartment over the store.

Many people remember Mae with her nurse's bag making calls. She helped with some of the nursing work that Miss Winnifred Neville, who ran the Anglican Mission nursing station, was unable to do.

She also gave shots to prevent disease during the 1963 flood. Stories abound about Mae setting broken dogs' legs, pulling teeth and nursing very sick people in her own home.

Her daughter Nancy said, "Often we came home to find needles being sterilized on the kitchen stove, or someone needing a shot of penicillin or resting in the spare room when they needed close attention."

Mae Wright worked with the Sunshine Club to establish a local library. Once it was started, she worked to keep it going and was the local librarian for 16 years until the GNWT opened the Territorial Library Services.

Mae bought a candy floss machine and it was used to raise funds for the purchase of books. The machine may still be in use today with the Brownies and Girl Guides.

Mae became a businesswoman and ran an insurance agency and a home rental business. She often helped people with housing and when people needed financial assistance, she frequently gave them a hand, earning her the affectionate name 'Maw Wright.'

She was responsible for the Overture Concert Series coming to Hay River. Mae served on the town council and was named Citizen of the Year. In 1980, her school of nursing awarded her a 50-year service pin.

Mae is survived by her daughters Marliss Townsend (Mervin), Linda Holden (Denis), Nancy Jameson (Robert), grandchildren Anne Townsend (Cliff Rose), Lynn Scadden (Harvey), Derrick Townsend (Tianna), LeeAnne Campbell (Gordon), great-grandchildren Gordon, Stephen and Erin Campbell, Clayton and Brette Jameson, Cameron and Brandon Hunter, Morgan, Garett and Sean Holden, Amy, Reg and Haley Scadden, her sister Irene McDonald and brother Harvey Rutley.

Mae was predeceased by her husband Donald Wright and her grandsons Donald and Reginald Townsend.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Grace/St. Andrew's Church.