Obituary of Alice Marie Mercer

Alice Marie Mercer.  FEBRUARY 23, 1947 – JANUARY 31, 2023

It is with deep sorrow and much love that we mourn the peaceful passing of Alice Marie Mercer of Nanaimo, British Columbia on January 31st, 2023, at the age of 75 years.

Alice was predeceased by parents, Frances (nee Bray) and James Mercer of Corner Brook, Newfoundland; sister, Helen LaBonte (nee Mercer) of Brampton, Ontario; and brother, Jack Mercer of Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia. She will be lovingly remembered by siblings, Raymond and Eileen Mercer of Calgary, Alberta; and Margaret Goosney (nee Mercer) of Medstead, Saskatchewan; and dearly missed by numerous extended family, nieces and nephews.

Alice held a long and distinguished career in Calgary’s oil and gas industry. Her entrepreneurial spirit and business acumen as well as her love for the mountains of British Columbia inspired the purchase of land in Canal Flats, British Columbia. She spearheaded the development of this land into a flourishing neighborhood. One of her major goals was to respectfully develop the land while protecting the big horn sheep migratory tract on the property. She secured their protection by gifting a parcel of land to The Nature Trust of British Columbia. Alice was influential in the Ktunaxa Nation Council purchasing land ensuring the preservation of their heritage and important archeological site located on the property. Alice lived on the land and enjoyed the comforts of what she lovingly called “the cabin” for a number of years.

Alice cultivated deep, personal friendships and extended families throughout her life. She sponsored a young Mexican girl of one of those families to complete her nursing diploma. And for many years, Alice supported many charities particularly the Breast Cancer Foundation and wore the pink ribbon in memory of her older sister, Helen.

Alice’s defining affinity to wear red lipstick, polish, clothes and accessories was testament to her optimistic, confident and outgoing, passionate spirit. Her greatest joy on this earth was the freedom and adventure of travel. She had the pleasure to see much of Canada and abroad with family and friends. Of note were solo trips, manning the wheel across Canada, and southbound through the United States to a beloved destination in Los Ayala, Mexico, where she visited for many years, becoming fluent in the Spanish language. Another joy in Alice’s life were her fur-ever companions, Haley and Lukey, her esteemed shotgun riders on their travels near and far.

Alice was a natural leader. Family and friends often found themselves rounded up and organized, each to their dismay or grateful heart and she was always first to offer assistance to anyone in times of need. Community minded, she participated as an ambassador to the 1988 Olympic Winter Games in Calgary, AB, for their International Broadcasting Centre. She was proud to wear the Calgary Olympic Winter Games jacket and it hung in her closet until the end of her life. She was also a ski patroller for the Whiskey Patrol of Lake Louise, AB. Alice was an avid reader, gifted at writing, incredibly capable, independent, resourceful, free-spirited and appreciative of the value of living life happily to the best of her ability.

As per Alice’s wishes, cremation has taken place. Alice will be honoured with a memorial celebration of life at a later date for family and close friends. Gifts of remembrance may be made to Betty’s Run for ALS or the Nanaimo SPCA.