GANGUR, Mary Ellen

GANGUR MARY ELLEN GANGUR (nee O’Shea), of Lethbridge, beloved wife of the late George Gangur, passed away at St. Therese Villa on Monday, November 25, 2024, at the age of 95 years.
Mary Ellen was born in 1929 near Mayerthorpe, Alberta to J.A O’Shea (Alvin) and Bridget Agnes Kelly (nee Bridie), Mary had three sisters Lily McCabe, Patricia Letendre and Colleen O’Shea and one brother Neal O’Shea.
In 1946, Mary Ellen married Arthur Wallace Meilicke, a local returning solider and began farming in the Greencourt area. She also worked the switchboard and the post office; their house was a gathering place for all.
After Art passed away in 1968, Mary Ellen moved to the Mayerthorpe area and began working in the post office, she spent a year in Quebec and purchased with her brother Neal the Allen’s Lakeshore Motel in Waterton, Alberta.
In 1975, Mary Ellen married George Andrew Gangur. Their summers were spent at their resort camp-along in Penticton and later at the Spruce Grove Resort in Fairmont. Their winters were spent in Arizona, and they took many breaks for travelling and fishing in Alberta and BC.
In each place Mary Ellen lived she was an active community member. She belonged to many different organizations including the Catholic Women’s League, Ladies Auxiliary to the Legion, the Eagles Lodge, 4-H, Royal Purple, and Red Hat groups. In her home over the years, hundreds have been shown hospitality and enjoyed wonderful meals.
She became known for creating hilarious shows and plays, it always left her audiences wanting more. Her own children and grandchildren and many nieces and nephews loved the stories she imagined and told.
Mary Ellen is survived by her daughters, Phyllis (Bob) Hodges of Saskatoon, Barbara (Brooks) Allisen of Nanaimo, Shauna (Richard) Sharp of Lethbridge and Step-Daughter, Val (Shane) Pinnock of Calgary.
Mary Ellen was especially proud of her Grandchildren, Darcy and Paul Matras, Kerry-Ellen Allisen, Colin Willdig, Brian, Mark, and Nicholas Wynder, Spencer and Allison Pinnock and Alex and Kyrie Lee Rye. She loved to sing to her Great-Grandchildren and beamed at the arrival of the great-great-grandchildren.
Mary Ellen was predeceased by her first husband Arthur Meilicke and her second husband George Gangur.
A Prayer Vigil will be held at CORNERSTONE FUNERAL HOME, 2825 – 32 Street South, Lethbridge, AB, on Friday, December 6, 2024 at 7:30 P.M. with Sharon Hagel officiating.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at OUR LADY OF THE ASSUMPTION CATHOLIC CHURCH, 2405 – 12 Avenue South, Lethbridge, AB, on Saturday, December 7, 2024 at 12:00 P.M. with Father Kevin Tumback celebrating. The Funeral Mass will be live-streamed and may be viewed through Mary Ellen’s obituary on the Cornerstone website.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer Society of Canada (alzheimer.ca).

To send a condolence, please visit www.cornerstonefuneralhome.com