It is with great sadness we announce the death of Miss Mona Jane Hardy, who passed away February 12th, 2024.
Miss Mona was born in Rocky Bay First Nation on June 29th, 1951, where her 72-year adventure began. Setting off at a young age, she traveled Canada and the world, settling in Montreal until her medical condition brought her home and eventually back to Thunder Bay.
She was always learning and gaining many skills over the years, cooking in kitchens, becoming a seamstress, and working in the mental health and social work fields.
Mona was a knowledge keeper, an Ojibwe language speaker, a sought-after baker and cook, who loved art, music, dancing, bingo and crafting and was truly a part of all the communities she lived in.
Mona was a wonderful storyteller, jokester, poet, with a quick wit, and wild laughter, with a style all her own. She sat on numerous committees, councils, advisory boards and volunteered with many Thunder Bay Organizations, and in 2021, she was awarded the Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers, the highest civilian honour granted in Canada.
Through her own personal struggles, she persevered and became an advocate for others, becoming the first Patient Family Advocate with TBRHSC. A staple in the LBGTQ2 community, she was a proud trans woman, who shared stories, experiences with people on her journey. She was also a renal patient who spent countless hours supporting, being company too and creating a community for others with her medical condition. She was a part of ONWA’s anti-human trafficking liaison program and an advocate for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. In 2023, she became a published writer sharing but a piece of her journey with us all in her memoir, Lost Between The Cracks.
Mona dedicated her life to others and will be truly missed by the countless people she has met along the way.
Special thanks, love, hugs and respect to Dr. Watson, Dr. Silverberg and the Renal Department Staff at TBRHSC. To Shae for writing but a pinch of her story. And to her dearest friends Linda and Maxine, she can never thank you enough for being a huge part of her life.
She will never be forgotten and kept in the hearts of her siblings Mervin, Theresa, Cecile (Wayne), Geraldine, Bryan (Jennifer), Kalinda, Juanita, Robin (Amede), Dallas (Tracy), by her nieces, nephews, their families along with numerous other family members.
Predeceased by her parents Charlie & Cecile; siblings; Marvin, Marjorie-Anne, Judy, Raymond, Charles Jr., Ellis Sr., and Ernie.
Funeral Services for Mona will be held on Saturday, February 17th, 2024 at 1:00pm in the WESTFORT CHAPEL, 420 West Gore Street at James. Visitation for family and close friends will be held in the Chapel on Friday, February 16th, 2024, from 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm. A celebration of life for Mona will be held at a future date.
In lieu of flowers, please give to the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre-Renal Department (payable to TBRHSF).
Please sign the online condolences at everestofthunderbay.com
