MARY ALICE DIX (née CROWN) Died peacefully in Scarborough on Sunday, June 19, 2016 at the age of 93. Mary is survived by her children, Dianne Ball (Jim), grandchildren Eric and Hilary; John Dix (Andrea), grandchildren Brooke, Taylor and Logan; Warren Dix (Ana Cadonic), grandchildren Malcolm, Campbell and Chadley Despault (Jesse Douma) and great-grandchildren North and Heath. Missing their daily phone calls is her sister, Ina McMaster and her niece, Cathy McMaster. Lifelong friends Anne Elllis-Taylor and Audrey Taylor will miss shared lunches, phone calls and laughter. She was preceded in death by her loving husband and soulmate Mel Dix. Mary was born on February 23, 1923 in Scarborough to Frederick and Lillian Crown. She graduated from Scarborough Collegiate Institute in 1943 and after a year at Weller Secretarial College, at the age of 21, started working for Canada Permanent Trust on Bay Street. Eleven years and two jobs later she left the workforce when Dianne came along. In 1970, she returned to work with the Scarborough Board of Education as a School Secretary until her retirement in 1988. Mary met Mel at age 14, when Mel’s father preached his first sermon at Washington United Church and decided then and there that he was “the one”. They were married on October 21, 1950 and for the next 53 years Mel and Mary were inseparable. Family and church were at the centre of their lives. Whether it was camping, church functions, ski trips, cottaging in Muskoka, sing-alongs or wonderful seasonal parties, they were leaders and givers of their time and efforts. Through a serendipitous series of events after the Second World War, at age 16, Mary became pen-pals with Esme Jacob of Cwmbran, Wales. In her true fashion, she developed a long-lasting friendship with Esme, which continues, through their children, Dianne and Claire to this day. One of Mary’s great joys was travelling to Wales on three separate trips to meet with Esme and her family, most recently in 2006. After Mel’s death in 2003 a major piece of Mary’s life was missing and she became more introspective. A subsequent diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease seriously affected her life the last few years. A Celebration of Life is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. Friday, June 24th at Scarborough Bluffs United Church, 3739 Kingston Road, Scarborough, Ontario, with a reception to follow. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Mary’s life. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Scarborough Bluffs United Church. Mary made it a practice of never wearing black. The family asks, if possible, to avoid black clothing for this Celebration.