Mary Jolliffe

Mary Irene Patricia Jolliffe, C.M. (November 11, 1923 – October 29, 2014), was a Canadian theatre and performing arts publicist. Early life Jolliffe was born in Chengdu, Sichuan, China, on November 11, 1923, and was the youngest of six children. Her parents were Methodist and later United Church of Canada missionaries. After graduating from a Canadian missionary school in West China in 1945, Jolliffe then crossed the seas to attend the University of Toronto. By 1949, she had earned her Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in English and Philosophy. Career Following graduation from the University of Toronto, Mary returned to China, as a teacher with the United Church of Canada Overseas Mission at the Canadian School in West China. In addition to being the matron of the school, she taught Grades 5 to 8. She stayed two years before taking a high school teaching position in Welland, Ontario.