A familiar Sidney figure known for her warm smile and friendly service at the local Dairy Queen died on May 2 from a heart attack, leaving behind a heartbroken family and a community that cherished her presence.
On Friday morning, May 9, a week since Gwen Marie McLennan's death, her son Lincoln and his dog Dexter visited a makeshift memorial near the Dairy Queen where his mother worked for nearly two decades.
The spot has become a place for residents to pay their respects, leaving flowers and cards in remembrance of a woman who touched countless lives.
"It will be my first Mother's Day without mom," said Lincoln, holding back his emotions as he added a small, personal touch to the memorial: a glass bottle filled with dried dandelions.
The bottle, crafted by Lincoln himself through his newfound passion for glass blowing, held a special significance.
Just three months ago, he began creating little "potion bottles" that his mother adored.
"We always talked about how cute they would look with buttercups and daisies in them," he recalled.
The day before Gwen's passing, Lincoln was walking Dexter near the waterfront when he was struck by the sight of a field of seeded dandelions. "Are they weeds or are they a field of wishes?" he thought.
This sparked an idea: the potion bottles could be transformed into "wish or prayer bottles" filled with dandelion seeds.
“I went home and I put a couple of seeded dandelions in it and I showed my mom. I said, look, they're wish and prayer bottles that if people have a wish or a prayer, they can say it and then blow the seeds and hope that they come true; she loved that even more.”
Fighting back tears, Lincoln remarked, "Unfortunately, the first wish and prayer bottle is hers. I wish she were still here, and I pray she watches over us all."
Gwen passed away in her car, parked near her beloved Dairy Queen, her second home.
For almost 20 years, her friendly face was a constant presence for residents at the drive-thru, handing out orders with a smile.
Gwen moved to Sidney with her husband and two sons, Sean and Lincoln, in 1994. Lincoln and his dog Dexter have been living with her for the last twelve years, providing companionship and creating a close-knit family unit.
"I didn't just lose my mother. I lost my best friend and life partner," Lincoln said. "We've lived life for each other and with each other."
Friday nights were usually reserved for Dairy Queen dinners together at home, a cherished ritual that is now a painful reminder of his loss.
The night of her passing, Gwen returned to her workplace after dinner to retrieve her iPad she had left earlier.
When Lincoln couldn't reach her and realized she had also left her purse and phone at home, he grew concerned. His worry stemmed from a recent incident where Gwen had become disoriented while driving.
"I drove up to the parking lot and saw her car, doors open, my mother slumped back in her seat," Lincoln recounted. "I yelled at my mom, gave her a light slap on the cheek and she mumbled a little."
He called 911 and stayed with Gwen to monitor her weakened breathing.
First responders and an ambulance arrived within minutes, but despite their efforts, they were unable to revive her.
"I would say they were there for over an hour doing all they could at the parking lot and they finally called it," Lincoln said.
While lost in a moment of grief, a stranger approached Lincoln to offer words of comfort. The woman, who had witnessed the events unfold, expressed her condolences and hugged him.
"She asked if I knew the person who died and I explained to her that it was my mother – I could tell that broke her heart," Lincoln said.
Finding solace in being by his mother's side in her final moments, Lincoln added, "I’m glad I was there with her and she wasn’t alone when she died. That’s her biggest fear."
Barb Baldwin, a friend and colleague who worked alongside Gwen at the Dairy Queen drive-thru for 17 years, was heartbroken by the news.
"We knew each other before Dairy Queen," Baldwin fondly recalled. "Across the street was a mall with a barbershop and Maleo's Cafe, where I worked. Gwen was hired to work there later and the two of us got along really well."
Baldwin remembers Gwen as someone who "would do anything for anybody."
"She was the sweetest thing," she shared, holding back tears. "She didn't have to work here for so long, but she just loved the people and the community."
The outpouring of support on social media following Lincoln's announcement of his mother's passing took him by surprise.
Hundreds of messages poured in, sharing memories and expressing sympathy.
One post, in particular, perfectly captured the community's sentiment: "Gwen touched a lot of lives through that drive-thru window and has served the Sidney community with such kindness and so much love for so long. She will be missed greatly and this is a huge loss to her family and the entire Sidney community. I don't know what comes after this life, but if there is an afterlife, Gwen is living in the section reserved for people with a huge heart and a lotta love."
"I honestly think that's part of what is allowing me to get through this with so much strength," Lincoln said. "The love and stories that the community is sharing, that I didn't know and I know my mom probably didn't even know the impact that she made."
Lincoln plans to spend Mother's Day at the memorial to honour his mother's memory. He is also planning a celebration of life for Gwen; anyone wishing to share their stories or extend their sympathies to Lincoln and his family can email him at lincolnmclennan@gmail.com.
After spending time in quiet reflection at the memorial, Lincoln stood up, held the small wish bottle up and blew the dandelion seeds into the air, a silent prayer and a wish drifting away into the sunny sky.
