Mary C. Percival

I was saddened to hear about the death of a former colleague today, especially since she was the individual that provided me the opportunities over the past decade that have allowed me to succeed in my current career path.

In the years that we worked together I never once felt that any criticism directed to me was “personal”, but rather, it was always designed to highlight and focus my attention on work performance. This was one of the hallmarks of my professional relationship with Mary. Her comments and critiques served as guidance, targeted to enhancing my performance at my tasks, and focused on fine tuning my skills. They were not always easy to take, but, in the end, allowed me to develop a professional rigor that has served me well.

Our working relationship was one that could be tense and sometimes combative, but one which was always conducted with professionalism and a clarity of purpose. Though seemingly contrary, and at cross purposes to some, she possessed a specific vision of what her role was to be. She stuck to that vision throughout her tenure, and displayed a particular amount of strength and resolve in doing so. Her staying power was well known.

I came to see her as a mentor in the latter half of our working relationship, as she provided me with techniques and perspectives that I use to this day. In particular, she allowed me opportunities to explore. When she exerted influence on my career, she did so by understanding the fine balance required for retaining someone’s interest and curiosity, while getting the job at hand done. Though at times reluctant, she was able to allow my professional growth in areas that she knew would take me away from the services that her mandate covered.

When I was first hired, she made me promise to stay for at least a year. She ended up leaving before I did, over a decade later. In her parting note to me, she wrote that, professionally, I was her greatest success. In that sentence, in those few words, she managed to trigger a cascade of understanding of the purposefulness with which she had guided me. At that moment, the threads of her mentorship crystallized in my mind, and the framework with which I could build a career on became clear.

I hope that I will be able to honour her memory through my actions, and in time, pass on the integrity of purpose that she practised herself, and instilled in me.

Rest in peace.

[Mary was the Director of Library Services for the Toronto office of McCarthy Tétralut LLP for over 20 years, until her retirement in 2006]