January 13, 1940 - April 26, 2024
In loving memory ~
Sadly we would like to provide you with information about the passing of Sue (Miller) Marston Friday April 26,2024 at the age of 84 in Grand Forks, B.C. She had developed pancreatic cancer.
Mattie Sue was born Jan 13,1940 at Souris Hospital in Manitoba and completed her early education in small town Alberta/BC where her parents served a United Church ministry with a family of 8 children. Fall of 1959 she started premed at U of A in Edmonton. Completed her medicine degree in 1965 and moved to London Ontario to do her internship.
1967-69 UBC, Vancouver 2 years of research followed by a move to Montreal Children's Hospital to complete her Pediatrics training. In 1971 moved to Edmonton to write her Pediatric specialist exams.
She became Assistant head of Pediatrics at U of A until 1977. During her time there she was head of the 1st nurse practitioner program for nurses working in the north. She was faculty at U of A Medicine. She would go to settlements north of the Arctic Circle to give children physical examinations when they were starting school. Later as she worked with the nurse practitioner program trips to the north she discovered Inuit soapstone carvers and fell in love with collecting those pieces of art.
While in Edmonton, one of the things Sue did was collaborate with Dr. John Akabutu. He is named as one of the people who made lasting and significant contributions to medicine. He created the 1st stem cell bank in Canada from cord blood collected from newborns. This reduced the death rate in pediatric oncology from blood diseases. The center in his name carries on his work now.
In May of 1977 she married Bob Marston in Edmonton. They then spent a year travelling around the world on their honeymoon. In 1979 they moved to Nanaimo,BC where she was a much respected pediatrician until her retirement in 1999. Along with her husband Bob they lived in the Kettle Valley and Grand Forks. They divided their early years living there and their home in Mexico.
During their stays in Mexico, Sue aided the visiting medical specialists in treating children who were not able to have local access to specialized care.
She provided backpacks with clothes and school supplies to Mexican children in remote villages. Her mom (Dolly Miller) knitted yearly 20 sweaters and toques and dollies for her to give kids. They continued enjoying sailing during these years. They had beautiful lemon, orange, lime & pomelo fruit trees which Sue made beautiful fruit marmalades.
Sue is survived by 6 remaining siblings and their families Bob (Barb) Bowen Island, Bill (Ellen) Kelowna, Caroline (Mike) Maple Ridge, Evan (Julie-Ann) Penticton, Lauren (Ruth) Rosetown, Sask., Arden (Marti) New Zealand, who will miss her dearly. Her husband Bob Marston passed soon after she did (June 2, 2024).
Graveside service 14th September, 1:00 o'clock at the Rock Creek cemetery.
Service Details
1:00 PM