Roehl_JC
Moderator
Somenos woman who may have been the Cowichan Capitals? biggest fan was the sixth person on Vancouver Island person to die from the H1N1 virus, said a spokesperson for the
Vancouver Island Health Authority.
Mary Smith, 28, died Tuesday evening at Victoria?s General Hospital.
Smith, who had significant underlying health concerns before she contracted the H1N1 strain of the flu, was hospitalized before she died.
Her passing devastated not only her family, but also many others who Mary touched in some way.
Mary was born and raised in the Cowichan Valley and developed Caps fever more than 10 years ago, said her dad, Mike Smith.
?Her hunger for hockey began at Fuller Lake Arena following her younger brother Mike as he played hockey,? he said.
?She probably started going to the Caps games when she was in Grade 10 and the team was still in its infancy.?
Added Shari Paterson, business manager for the Cowichan Capitals hockey club: ?Mary was a season ticket holder for as long back as anyone can remember and has been our biggest cheerleader.
?She kept everyone in check and she was the heart and soul of this club for as long as I?ve been here, and I?ve been here a long time,? she said.
Paterson said Mary had a genuine, innocent love of the team.
?When players would get traded or leave the team for whatever reason, oh man, that poor girl would be so upset,? she said.
?She was a true fan and you would never hear her say anything bad about the team, ever.?
Dr. Ron Smith, president of the Capitals said in a release the hockey club family suffered a great loss ?with the passing of our friend Mary.?
Ron Smith, no relation, said Mary was a young woman who brought genuine enthusiasm to each and every game.
?Mary?s demeanor was absolutely infectious to everyone that knew her and she had the uncanny ability to bring a smile to your face like no one else,? said Smith.
Don Bodger, long time sports columnist for the News Leader Pictorial, said he too would miss Mary.
?I got more than a few tips from her about trades and other developments with the team before I heard about them,? he recalled.
?She was at virtually every game and everyone in the stands knew her and marveled at her devotion to the team and when the team wasn?t doing so well, she always promised to ?talk to the boys? and get them going.?
Bodger added Mary ?somehow made every game seem more important or interesting because of her keen involvement.?
But there was more to Mary than her devotion to the hockey club.
Smith said his daughter was born with a ?slight mental disability? that never slowed her down.
?People told her she couldn?t do things, that she couldn?t finish high school, that she couldn?t live by herself,? he said.
?She proved them all wrong.?
Mary lived in an apartment, volunteered her time at the Sassy Lion thrift store and could often be seen at the Duncan Farmer?s Market selling goods alongside her mom ? and being teased about her beloved Capitals hockey team by friendly customers.
The Capitals are planning to hang a jersey in the lobby in his daughter?s honour, said Paterson.
A service for Mary will be held Thursday, between 1 and 3 p.m. at the Eagle?s Hall and all who knew her are invited to attend, said Smith.
http://www.bclocalnews.com/news/70572337.html
Vancouver Island Health Authority.
Mary Smith, 28, died Tuesday evening at Victoria?s General Hospital.
Smith, who had significant underlying health concerns before she contracted the H1N1 strain of the flu, was hospitalized before she died.
Her passing devastated not only her family, but also many others who Mary touched in some way.
Mary was born and raised in the Cowichan Valley and developed Caps fever more than 10 years ago, said her dad, Mike Smith.
?Her hunger for hockey began at Fuller Lake Arena following her younger brother Mike as he played hockey,? he said.
?She probably started going to the Caps games when she was in Grade 10 and the team was still in its infancy.?
Added Shari Paterson, business manager for the Cowichan Capitals hockey club: ?Mary was a season ticket holder for as long back as anyone can remember and has been our biggest cheerleader.
?She kept everyone in check and she was the heart and soul of this club for as long as I?ve been here, and I?ve been here a long time,? she said.
Paterson said Mary had a genuine, innocent love of the team.
?When players would get traded or leave the team for whatever reason, oh man, that poor girl would be so upset,? she said.
?She was a true fan and you would never hear her say anything bad about the team, ever.?
Dr. Ron Smith, president of the Capitals said in a release the hockey club family suffered a great loss ?with the passing of our friend Mary.?
Ron Smith, no relation, said Mary was a young woman who brought genuine enthusiasm to each and every game.
?Mary?s demeanor was absolutely infectious to everyone that knew her and she had the uncanny ability to bring a smile to your face like no one else,? said Smith.
Don Bodger, long time sports columnist for the News Leader Pictorial, said he too would miss Mary.
?I got more than a few tips from her about trades and other developments with the team before I heard about them,? he recalled.
?She was at virtually every game and everyone in the stands knew her and marveled at her devotion to the team and when the team wasn?t doing so well, she always promised to ?talk to the boys? and get them going.?
Bodger added Mary ?somehow made every game seem more important or interesting because of her keen involvement.?
But there was more to Mary than her devotion to the hockey club.
Smith said his daughter was born with a ?slight mental disability? that never slowed her down.
?People told her she couldn?t do things, that she couldn?t finish high school, that she couldn?t live by herself,? he said.
?She proved them all wrong.?
Mary lived in an apartment, volunteered her time at the Sassy Lion thrift store and could often be seen at the Duncan Farmer?s Market selling goods alongside her mom ? and being teased about her beloved Capitals hockey team by friendly customers.
The Capitals are planning to hang a jersey in the lobby in his daughter?s honour, said Paterson.
A service for Mary will be held Thursday, between 1 and 3 p.m. at the Eagle?s Hall and all who knew her are invited to attend, said Smith.
http://www.bclocalnews.com/news/70572337.html
Last edited:
