Audrey Bernice Aquino

Audrey Bernice AQUINO (nee Mardon)  

Jan 8, 1933 - May 18, 2025

Audrey’s incredible life began on January 8, 1933 when she was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba.  She was predeceased by her parents Christina & Leonard Mardon, her sister Dorothy Asmussen, her brother Jim Mardon and her 4 year old great grandson Braxton Baart.  Mom leaves behind her daughter Kathi Baart (husband John), sons Rickie Aquino (partner Diana) and Kerry Aquino (wife Ory), along with grand children Brennan Baart (wife Rachael), Riley and Brianna Aquino, great grandson Silver Baart and various nieces and nephews.  

After moving to Cedar on the outskirts of Nanaimo when quite young, she was raised with her mom, siblings and British grandparents in a beautiful old home nestled in the trees near Nanaimo River.  She spent much of her young childhood exploring the river, finding fossils, learning to swim and rescuing little fish she found trapped in small pools when the river was low. 

She graduated from John Shaw High School and became a secretary working in Youbou  and at the Nanaimo Court House.  In her early twenties, while at a baseball game in Cedar as the score keeper, she met a good looking Italian man on the baseball field, named Frank Aquino.  

They were later married on February 12, 1955 in Nanaimo, BC and settled down to raise their three young children and renovate their little two bedroom home.  Mom loved flowers and gardening, became handy with tools and the sewing machine,  and even drafted the plans for transforming their little bungalow into the two storey beautiful home they finished building ten years later.  There were always pets in our home while growing up including cats, dogs, goldfish and gerbils, with both Mom and Dad being animal lovers. 

Mom stayed home to raise her kids until the mid 1960's when she returned to work for the Ministry of Health (Nanaimo Health Unit) to help supplement  Dad’s seasonal work as a Logger. Many wonderful summers were spent up at the old family cabin at Horne Lake where everyone learned to swim and water ski and lasting memories were created over the many years that the two Aquino families owned the cabin.

Sadly in 1979, Mom and Dad separated and eventually divorced, but remained friends.  Mom continued with her career at the Health Unit spanning over 25 years and eventually retired at the age of 62.   She was not one to sit idle, and volunteered at the Nanaimo & District SPCA on the Board of Directors and spent many years  collecting funds from the SPCA Donation Cans program that she took over.  She personally rolled all the coins over the years, earning over $100,000 for the animals, which was something she was very proud of.  Eventually she had to give up that beloved role when she could no longer drive. 

In her later years, health issues arose that required complex  medical care and Mom was moved to Wexford Creek Sr’s Home where she resided for six years on the 2nd floor of the Complex Care Unit.  Mom passed peacefully in her room at Wexford Creek on Sunday morning, May 18th, with her daughter at her side and her family’s love surrounding her. 

Special thanks to all the kind and caring staff on the 2nd floor Complex Care Unit, who took good care of our Mom over the years and made her transition to the other side, a very private and peaceful one.  

We love Mom and will miss our little “Energizer Bunny” but no doubt she will find some animals to rescue or flowers to plant once she is finally “home”.  

A family gathering will be held at a later date and in lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Nanaimo CatNap Society, the Nanaimo & District SPCA or an animal related charity of your choice.