Mary Christine Segner nee’ Clark
Mary Christine Segner, nee’ Clark, born in St. Thomas, Ontario on July 8th, 1936 died at “Ormond in The Pines”, Ormond Beach Florida, on August 30th.
Mary grew up in Aylmer, Ontario where her father, Dr. Barney Clark, was a practicing dentist and apiculturist in Aylmer for almost 50 years and her mother, Christine Graham Clark, was the first woman to work on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Mary leaves behind three children: Elizabeth Christine Rankin, Richard Scott Rankin, Rebecca Anne King, nine grandchildren and four great grandchildren, nephew Dr. Brian Clark, niece Nancy Burdett, and numerous dear friends from her Aberdeen and Ormond Beach communities. Predeceased by son Robert Clark Rankin in 1994.
Mary graduated from East Elgin High School in 1954 and then graduated as a dental hygienist. She was naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 1969.
Possessing a wicked sense of humour and full of kindness, she moved to Marathon Key, in the Florida Keys, where she co-owned a real estate business. She volunteered as a life member of The Fishermen’s Hospital Auxiliary.
She was proud to belong to the “Marathon Yacht Club” a rudimentary gathering place with “members” adhering to the philosophy of BYOF as well as BYOB. There, she befriended a guitar-playing troubadour now known as Jimmy Buffett. Mary was the owner of many sailboats and was passionate about blue water sailing, as well as deep-sea fishing. She would take her children to Key West and would educate them about Ernest Hemingway.
Mary achieved success by managing condominiums in The Keys: The Monte Christo and Bone Fish Towers while simultaneously contributing to the Visitors Center. She eventually became a successful realtor with Coldwell Banker in Ormond Beach, Florida.
Her daughter Elizabeth recalls trips to the Keys with her twin brothers where they would scuba dive for lobsters. Mary travelled to New York City many times, where her daughter Beth lived, with her son Richard nearby. There she adored Broadway plays, museums and grandchildren.
Mary was a member of Christ Presbyterian Church in Ormond Beach. Less than two weeks before her death, her son Richard took her out for her favourite cocktail – a margarita. Mary told Ric that “it’s 5:00 somewhere!”