It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Ellwyn Isabel Wuethrich (MacKenzie) at the age of 97. Born on May 13, 1924 in Minnedosa, Manitoba, Ellwyn was a descendant on her mother's side of the original Red River Settlers who came from Scotland in the early 1800s. Growing up in Brandon she studied nursing and moved to Toronto to work at the Sick Kids Hospital. There she met the man who was to become her husband, Hugo Wuethrich, a recent immigrant from Switzerland. They married in 1954 and soon after, their daughter Janine was born. She was passionate about natural childbirth and like her granddaughter, Jessica, gave pre-natal classes in the 1950s. Moving to Montreal, Ellwyn and Hugo raised their two children, Janine and Paul, while he worked at the CBC as a designer and she as a nurse at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

She is predeceased by her husband and will be sorely missed her surviving family: Janine and Jim, their children Justin (Rosanna), Jessica (Joshua), and Jenna (Daniel) ; Paul and Mary and their son Cameron. Her great-grand children James, Juliet, Avery and Clara will miss knowing the strong and stoic woman she was.

While she died not in the manner she would have wished, she lived a long, and wonderful life. During her time at Westmount One Residence she was surrounded by a loving staff who cared for her and especially during COVID, became her family. COVID has also contributed to how her family has decided to say their good-byes. A private memorial will be held in Montebello, near the MacKenzie ancestral home.

Donations to the Saint Mary’s Hospital Foundation will gratefully be accepted.