MARGARET ELIZABETH WATERMAN

Adjust Text Size: A+ A-

MARGARET ELIZABETH WATERMAN Margaret Elizabeth Waterman, born on February 21, 1928 in Sarnia, ON to Laughlin Howard Sinclair and his wife Marguerite, died in St. Boniface Hospital on Monday, February 27, 2006 after a sudden and unexpected collapse on the evening of Saturday, February 25. In May 2004, her physicians had diagnosed pulmonary fibrosis. Margaret was raised and educated in Ontario, graduated with BA with Honours in English in the University of Toronto, followed by a year at the Ontario College of Education. It was at Victoria College, Toronto, particularly in Annesley Hall where she resided for four years, that Margaret first developed her great gift of friendship. Many of the greetings she received on her 78th birthday came from women she had first met 60 years before. Having taught at High Schools in Sault Ste. Marie and Newmarket, ON, Margaret married Anthony Michael Charles Waterman, in Sarnia on September 3, 1955. She retired from teaching upon marriage, devoting the rest of her life to her duties as wife and mother in which she was exemplary, in volunteer work for church and community, in musical, literary and athletic recreations, and in maintaining a large correspondence with a continually expanding circle of friends and relations in Canada, Britain, Australia, New Zealand and the USA. She and her husband lived in Montreal for some years after marriage, moving to Winnipeg for the first time in 1959. At various times thereafter they lived for short periods in Canberra, Australia; Oxford, Brighton and Cambridge, England; and Boston, Massachusetts. They celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in Winnipeg, surrounded by children and grandchildren, and by many old and dear friends. Margaret was a faithful Christian and long-time parishioner of St. Aidan's Church in River Heights, serving at various times as President of the Altar Guild, member of Vestry, delegate to Diocesan Synod, Sunday School teacher, and convener or coordinator of Meals-on-Wheels, the quilting group, Bible study groups, the roster of lay liturgical readers; and many other similar activities which many take for granted but without which nothing happens. In the last week of her life she formally resigned her remaining parochial duties because of increasing disability. In her work for the larger community she was active for many years in the Cancer Society annual campaign and the Huntington Society; as a Board member of the Winnipeg Philharmonic Choir, the Winnipeg Youth Orchestra and the Winnipeg Bach Festival; and as an active member of the University Women's Club of Winnipeg. She served on the Board and other committees of her club, worked diligently at those of its activities directed to public service and education, and initiated a letter-writing group for Amnesty International. In none of these good works did she ever seek recognition or the applause of others, being ever content to work humbly and usefully behind the scenes for the good of all. Margaret also enjoyed the recreational activities of her club, especially its literary and dramatic discussion groups. Having a great love of walking, and encouraged by her female friends in Cambridge and Australia, she founded a hiking group in the club which still flourishes. Vigorous and athletic, she played tennis and golf, swam, snorkeled and surfed in the Pacific, and took frequent walking holidays with her husband and children in the Canadian Rockies, Scotland, Costa Rica, the USA and New South Wales. In her mid-seventies she climbed 3,000 feet from Lake Louise to the summit of Fairview. Margaret bore five children: Andrew, Margaret Anne who died in infancy, Michael, Caroline and Alice. In addition to her husband, four living children, children-in-law Kim, Ellen, Bradley Boyle and Gavin Finney, and her grandchildren, Nicholas, Elizabeth and Sophia Ciel, she is survived by her brother Tom Sinclair of Castleton, ON, her brother-in-law Peter Waterman of Bourne End, Buckinghamshire; and by many cousins, nephews and nieces in Canada, Britain, Australia and the USA. She was admired by many and loved by all. The funeral will be at St John's Cathedral, 135 Anderson, Winnipeg, at 11.00 a.m. on Monday, March 6, with burial in the Cathedral churchyard, followed by a reception in the Cathedral Hall. No flowers by request. Memorial donations may be made either to St. Aidan's Anglican Church, 274 Campbell St., Winnipeg R3N 1B5, or to the University Women's Club of Winnipeg, 54 West Gate, Winnipeg R3C 2E1. NEIL BARDAL INC. 949-2200

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Mar 03, 2006