Marlene Underhill, 85

Meet Marlene Underhill

Born in Enfield, Nova Scotia, Marlene was the youngest of seventeen children and the only one born in a hospital. Her childhood was simple but full, lived without electricity or running water, yet rich in music, faith, family, and community. Her father played violin, relatives joined in, and Saturday nights often ended with dancing in sock feet across freshly polished floors. These early experiences shaped the values that would guide her throughout her life: kindness, resilience, and caring for others.

Widowed at just 32 years old, Marlene raised three young daughters on her own with remarkable strength and determination. After earning a secretarial diploma, she built a career dedicated to supporting children, seniors, and individuals with intellectual disabilities. In 1972, she helped establish a volunteer program for children with intellectual disabilities that later grew into a registered charity still serving the community today. She went on to earn a diploma in Human Services from Niagara College, work as an educational assistant, and continue studies in gerontology and therapeutic recreation. Her life's work has always reflected inclusion, dignity, and compassion.

Even after a serious car accident left her with lasting injuries, Marlene continued to give back. In retirement, she volunteered through her church, created prayer shawls for palliative care patients, visited seniors in nursing homes, and found joy caring for her balcony garden. Her commitment to helping others has remained a constant throughout every chapter of her life.

Family has always been Marlene's greatest source of pride and joy. In 1998, when her youngest daughter Cindy moved to the Yukon, Marlene followed to help raise her three grandsons. What began as a visit became years of meaningful connection in a place she came to love deeply. The Yukon became a place of family, belonging, and treasured memories.

When Marlene's health declined following a diagnosis of atrial fibrillation and a stroke, she returned to Nova Scotia for specialized care and was no longer able to travel independently. Still, one heartfelt wish remained: to return to the Yukon one more time. She longed to reunite with Cindy and her grandsons, and to finally meet her great grandson, Hayden, whom she had never met.

After many years apart, Marlene's wish became a reality. She was able to return to the Yukon, reconnect with the family she loves, revisit a place that holds so many cherished memories, and create new moments together that will remain with her and her family forever.

Special Thanks: Air North-Yukon's Airline, Raven Inn & Suite

Photography: Ryan Gaynor