It is with broken hearts that we announce the passing of Mavis Maureen Helseth (Elliott), our dear mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, cousin and friend, on July 30, 2017 at the Emo Health Centre with family by her side. Mavis was a remarkable woman, and her story began April 10, 1928 at the Bungalow on Wood Lane, Gotham, England. Mavis was the youngest of 3 born to George and Selina Elliott, and she spent her early years on the farm with her siblings Ken and Muriel, where she learned the value of love and the rewards of hard work and determination. Mavis loved all forms of dance, and as a young ballerina she performed for Princess Elizabeth before giving up ballet when World War II broke out. Mavis’ father, George, was a Canadian Vet from World War I, and when war broke out he and Selina opened their homes to Canadian Servicemen. Mavis met Forest Helseth at the Palais de Dance in Nottingham, and they were married February 3, 1945 in Gotham when she was 16 years old – she often said that during the war years you lived 2 years for every one. Mavis embarked on the Aquitania April 3, 1946 in South Hampton and sailed to Halifax, arriving April 10, 1946 – her 18th birthday. This was not the end of her great journey. She then boarded the train to Winnipeg where she was met by her new husband and his family and neighbours and they further took her by car to the backwoods of Northwestern Ontario, where she first settled at her in-laws log home at Helseth Corner. Mavis and Forest, along with his parent’s and brother, immediately started the enormous task of carving out and building a tourist camp on the shore of Off Lake, Rainbow Lodge and Outpost Cabins, that very first summer. After Forest’s untimely death in 1973 Mavis continued to operate Rainbow Lodge until the tragic and devastating deaths of her son, Shaun, and partner Joe Morneau. This was a blow almost to great for Mavis to overcome, but overcome she did, and went on to freely give her love, grace, knowledge, time and more to those who knew her. If you were lucky enough to meet her and talk to her for even a little while, you were a better person for doing so. Mavis loved to travel, dance, read, knit, meet people, tell stories, research the family tree, but mostly she loved to be with her family. She was the hub that kept the spokes of her family together and her loss is going to be felt for a very long time. Mavis is survived by her son Forest Jr. (Tinker) and his wife Sharon and children Pamela, Brenda, Alan, Katie and Kari; daughter Dawn and her partner Gabe, and her children Jared, Mikaela, and Justin; and daughter Sheri and her children Selina and Nicolas. Also surviving her are numerous loving great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins. Mavis was predeceased by her parents George and Selina, siblings Ken and Muriel and their spouses Appi and Percy, husband Forest, son Shaun, partner Joe, and in-laws Wiggo, Laura, Fred, and Violet. The Honourary Pallbearers are all of Mavis’ great grandchildren. A service of celebration and remembrance will be held on Tuesday August 8, 2017 at 11a.m. at the Northridge Funeral Home, Emo, ON with Rev. Eileen Bragg officiating. If desired memorial donations may be made in Mavis’s memory to the Emo Hospital c/o Northridge Funeral Home, Box 89, Emo, ON, P0W 1E0 “We rise again in the voices of our children” - The Rankin Family