Former Fernie mayor and councillor Mary Giuliano has passed away at the age of 79.
She served two terms as mayor and three terms as a city councillor.
“She had such a love for the Elk Valley and Fernie,” said Kimberley Mayor Don McCormick.
“Her decisions were always centred around common sense. So many tributes are pouring in and rightfully so, she’s going to be missed by so many.”
Kootenay East MLA Tom Shypitka first met her when they both served as RDEK directors.
“She was always the calm, cool voice of reason. She never spoke ill of anyone and she wore her heart on her sleeve,” Shypitka said.
“I always listened a little extra carefully to Mary because I knew what she said was always from the heart. She was an awesome advocate for almost everything the community asked her to do and she’ll be sorely missed.”
Former Kootenay East MLA Bill Bennet said as good of a politician as she was, she was an even better person.
“The thing that I remember that was most important about Mary Guiliano was her kindness and compassion,” he said.
“I consider Mary as almost a saint in the way she dealt with people. She was so respectful and set the bar so high for the rest of us. A bar personally I could never meet.”
Her long list of public service also included being a member of the Kinettes/Kinsmen Club, Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, Legion, PAC, Fernie Kids Club, and the Fernie Derrick Society.
“She helped organize several demonstrations to maintain health care services in the local hospital. She also organized a highway traffic stop to bring national media attention to keeping the hospital’s operating room open and advocated for changes to home support services,” said Shypitka.
“She was instrumental in successfully acquiring a dialysis unit at the Sparwood Health Center, ensuring that Elk Valley clients no longer had to travel to Fort Macleod or Trail for treatment several times a week.”
She is survived by her husband Nick, four grown children and two grandchildren.
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