Thursday, January 10, 2013
I had word this evening that Margaret passed away this morning. I don’t have any details as I haven’t spoken to her niece, but from what I’ve heard she was taken directly from the plane to hospital when they arrived in Edmonton on Sunday. I am so sorry that she didn’t have a chance to settle in, but I’m glad she was with her family for her last few days.
I was matched with Margaret through the Solutions for Seniors group shortly after I arrived in Powell River. The first time I set out to meet her at McDonald’s I spent the entire afternoon talking to a woman who I thought was “my” Margaret but turned out to be someone else entirely (also named Margaret though). Margaret was a wealth of information about my new home and I spent many afternoons listening with great delight to the stories she had to tell.
Margaret was an independent woman from an early age. She lived “in the bush” at God’s Lake, Manitoba and missed several years of early schooling – they were living in mining camps where no schools were available. Her early years were divided between God’s Lake, Sherridon and Winnipeg. When she reach High School she boarded with a family in Winnipeg so she could complete her Grade 12.
Margaret talked a lot about the war years. She was employed in an aircraft plant and really loved it (although I think Margaret enjoyed most things she did in her life). She had great tales to tell of all the men she met during that time. She said she and her girlfriends “would never think to date anyone who wasn’t in uniform”. She worked for CIBC Head Office in Winnipeg for many years before moving to Powell River, She was responsible for having guns removed from the teller’s cages – she was lucky she didn’t kill herself or someone else!
Margaret travelled a lot when she was younger. She and a girlfriend spent many vacations in the US, and was holidaying in New York City (staying in Times Square) the year I was born. Margaret was born in Finland and she had many trips back with her Mum, Dad and nephews. She and her sister-in-law travelled to England once, and took the night train to Paris “just for the heck of it”. Just a year ago this past Christmas Margaret flew, on her own, to Edmonton. She celebrated her 90th birthday in November.
Margaret was looking forward to moving into the assisted living facility in town, but took the news well when she heard she would be going into a higher level of care after her heart attacks. She failed very quickly as she waited for a room to open up at Olive Devaud, and didn’t do well when she was moved to the Extended Care Unit at the hospital. Our last visit was the Friday before she left for Edmonton and, although she was frail, she was happy and able to give me the low-down on everyone there.
She was a great lady and it was an honour to call her my friend.