Mae Burns (Lacelle) Cotnam

It is with heavy hearts that the family announces Mae's peaceful passing on Monday, September 1, 2025 at the age of 85 with her loving husband Gary Burns, of 53 years, by her side. 

Mae was the beloved mother of Trina Cotnam Jeanneault (Mike Godin), Greg (Lynn Brouse) and Byron (Shelley Duschesne). Mae was the amazing Nanny, Nan and Grams to Emily and Evan (Lisa), Dominique (Ryan) and Sebastian, Carrie Lynn (Kevin), Kristin (Kevin), Sarah and Anthony, Jesse (Stephanie) and Jake (Stephanie). Mae was also a proud great grandmother to Eloise, McKenna and Kynlee, Drake and Maddox , Landon, Bohen, Weslynn, Abigail and Charlotte.

Predeceased by all of her immediate family, she was the loving daughter of Osias and Louise Lacelle and sister to Roy, Jap, Viola, Jean, Lorraine, Joseph, Rene, Arnold, and John. Unfortunately none of her family members got their Indian Status except for Mom (4 years ago). She was an Aunt and Great Aunt to many with only two surviving nieces Bunny(Alma) and Lorry Lefebvre and their children. She also was an Aunt to many of the Cotnam family.

Mae was born May 1, 1940 and raised in Mattawa, Ontario. She married Byron Cotnam (predeceased) at 19 and moved to Deux Rivieres where she remained for the next 10 years. She had 3 children and raised them in a four-room shack with no running water and an outhouse. The family moved to Copper Cliff in 1969. When Mae and Byron separated, she moved to North Bay where she eventually met and married Gary Burns who had 4 children, Geno (Sherry), John,  Susan (Wayne) and Rhonda (Derrick) all who now have children and grandchildren of their own. 

Mae and Gary loved camping in their trailer and long drives on old bush roads. Mae taught Gary how to fish, clean the fish and how to can them over the fire. She enjoyed gathering with friends and family around the campfire where Gary would play guitar and Mae would sing her heart out to all their favorite country music songs. In her later years you could often find Mae on stage at the Fraser House for the Saturday afternoon matinee belting out her favorite songs with besties Priscilla (now deceased) and Carmen cheering her on.

 Mae was an excellent cook & baker who taught Gary how to make homemade bread. She and Gary prepared many wonderful meals for family and always had room for more, often feeding up to 20 people at a time. Her favorite pass time was playing bingo and often stayed (for the late). Her family called her "Bingo Bag Mae" and teased her a lot. She was known to get trinkets from her kids and grandkids for good luck. Mae always had a drawer that was full of treats for her grandkids when they would visit and she would love watching them open it. Mae and Gary also had a vegetable garden and would wait for the kids to arrive so they could harvest it.

Mom taught her children to live, laugh and love with a compassionate heart and to be kind to everyone, especially those down on their luck. Mae lived her life on her own terms with fierce determination and an infectious sense of humor in good times and bad. She was "the life of the party" and lit up every room she walked in. Mom will be remembered for her quick wit and the joy she brought to those who knew her. Everyone who met Mae felt special, that was just who she was.

Her poor health eventually led her to Cassellholme where she remained until her death. The family would like to thank the compassionate Apple Street Gang staff of Cassellholme for the Aged for the love and care over the last 6 1/2 years and to the many friends she made there. Mom loved it there and all the staff loved her; it was her home. It pained them to watch Mom go downhill in the last 2 months until she passed. Thank you all of you for always supporting her husband Gary through the years. Mom was Gary's life, he seldom missed a day and always made her fresh sandwiches and brought an extra few to Mom's roommate and good friend John. A special thank you goes out to Mandy, RNA who took extra care of Mom and spent many late nights with her just chatting and bringing her and Gary in her homemade bannock and gifting her with a beautiful healing blanket.

A special thank you goes out to Auntie Patricia Anderson (Cotnam) and Richard Levesque for the many prayers.

Cremation services provided by Hillside Funeral Services, North Bay, Ontario.

A Celebration of Life will take place on Saturday September 20th, 2025  at Madadjiwan Economic Development Corp. at 318 Main Street  Mattawa (side entrance) from 11am until 2 pm, at which time she will be laid to rest with her father and mother at the Catholic cemetery in Mattawa officiated by Fr. Cyril Okebanana from St. Anne's Catholic Church. The ceremony will promptly commence at 11:30 am  where there will be drumming, singing, and story telling. Feel free to bring your drum and rattles and your stories to share in the celebration for Mae. Mae always wanted to have a meal of those "little old lady sandwiches" with pickles and all the fixings when she died so Mae will have her wish.  Lunch to be served following the celebration.