News and Events
In Memoriam: Remembering Marie Anne McLean
2026-07-01
It is with great sadness that we share the passing of the remarkable Marie Anne McLean.
Since joining Storytelling Alberta in 1986, Marie Anne dedicated herself wholeheartedly to the storytelling community. She facilitated countless workshops and mentored generations of storytellers. She organized and hosted the Edmonton Chapter's Tellarounds and was a stalwart volunteer for the TALES Storytelling Festival at Fort Edmonton for many years. Her generosity, wisdom, and welcoming spirit helped shape our community for decades.
Marie Anne was also recognized as an Elder by Storytellers of Canada – Conteurs du Canada, an honour bestowed in recognition of her lifetime contribution to story and storytelling as a performer, creator, collector, mentor, supporter, and administrator of the art.
In 2009, Marie Anne was selected by Storytellers of Canada as the StorySave teller, resulting in a three-CD collection titled Stories from the Prairies: From the Back Forty to Main St. to D-Day. This set includes Prairie stories of her created town and beloved characters of Thumbprint, Saskatchewan; a collection of War stories, many reflecting her family's experiences; and a collection of Family stories. The collection continues to inspire and delight listeners. You can listen to and purchase her collection of stories here:
Marie Anne's contributions to storytelling in Alberta and across Canada are immeasurable. We are deeply grateful for the stories she shared, the tellers she mentored, and the community she helped build.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to her family, friends, and all whose lives she touched.
Please join us in remembering and celebrating Marie Anne's life by reading her obituary:
Her stories live on, and so will her legacy.