MARGARET ANNE LUDLOW (GILBERT)

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MARGARET ANNE LUDLOW (nee GILBERT) Peacefully, our loving Mom and Grandma passed away in the early hours of Monday, July 20, 2009 at the Victoria General Hospital in Winnipeg. Mom will be greatly missed by her two sons Jim and Rob of Winnipeg and her daughter Carolyn (Jamie) of Waterford, Vermont as well as her brother John Gilbert (Waltra) of Winnipeg and her nieces and nephews in Winnipeg, Vancouver and Washington state. She was immensely proud of her nine grandchildren and will be forever remembered by Cedric, Charlie, Fiona, Amanda, Shelby, Hayden, Faith, Caleigh and Keaton. Mom was predeceased by her husband Lawrie in 2006, her mother Eva in 1982, her Father David Gilbert in 1964 and by her two older brothers Uncle Norman Gilbert of Vancouver and Uncle Reg Gilbert of Winnipeg. Mom's nieces, nephews and family never had the opportunity to meet uncle Reg who as a young bomber pilot with the RCAF during the Second World War went missing in action as a result of air operations over France in 1941. Mom was born in Winnipeg on August 30, 1931. She was raised on Kingston Crescent in sunny St. Vital and attended both Windsor School and Kelvin High School graduating in 1949. During her years on Kingston Crescent Mom and family lived through Winnipeg's infamous 1950 flood. As a young woman Mom was an avid tennis player and paddler at the old Winnipeg Canoe Club. It was through this connection and her father's passion for sailing lightning sailboats that her family made an early move in the summer of 1954 acquiring a cottage at Clearwater Bay, Ontario. Mom was at the cottage every summer thereafter and instilled in her family a summer love of the lake culture that remains to this day. She was fortunate to have been at the Lake for a day earlier this summer. In 1954 Mom met Dad at the Winnipeg Badminton Club and they dated for two years before they were married in 1956. They were together for 49 years and 11 months before Dad's passing in January of 2006. In their almost 50 years together they shared a love of family, friends, travel, the Lake and each other. in the early years their were many family driving trips to Florida and Banff in the old Buick along with a number of family Christmases in Hawaii. As the children grew older Mom and Dad had more time to travel to parts of the world they had earlier dreamed of seeing in Europe, Asia, Australia, cruises in the Caribbean along with extended winter stay in Florida. Summers were always at the Lake, in the early years at Dad's family cottage in Gimli and then on to Clearwater Bay at Lake of the Woods. Many of Mom and Dad's friends as well as the kid's friends will remember long, lazy summer weekends at the Lake water skiing, swimming and barbecuing--Mom was always the steady hand and chief navigator behind our relentless demands for gas in the boat and food on the table---summer weekends were flawless and idyllic. Mom was ever so proud of her career in raising the kids at the family home on Lamont Blvd and the 'fun' she had with three growing teenagers and their friends throughout the seventies managing their school careers, arranging family trips and being the constant in our home life. Mom's personal life outside the home was defined by Mom and Dad's involvement in the Shrine and the lifelong friendships she made and cherished as a member of PEO. Mom was an avid curler at the Winnipeg Winter Club a number of years back. Mom and Dad thoroughly enjoyed the company of their many friends and during her early hospital stay she spoke frequently and lovingly of the times they spent together with their friends and how important they were to her. Above all Mom lived life unselfishly and for others-- her husband and kids were always first. She was proud of her children and her grandchildren and spoke of them often. She was quiet, humble, loving and respectful and always there to provide for, listen to, lend encouragement and a helping hand to family and friends whenever needed. We will all miss her dearly. Although she lost the battle to a host of complications, in her last few weeks she fought courageously and never gave up---she had hoped to be back at the Lake this summer. Our thanks as a family goes out to the medical and nursing staff on the fifth floor of the Victoria General Hospital. Their kindness, efforts and determination provided Mom with great comfort in the last month of her life. Mom's funeral service celebrating her 77 years of life will be held at St. Andrews River Heights United Church, 225 Oak Street, Monday July 27 at 2:00 p.m. A private internment will be held following the service at the Elmwood Cemetery. Pallbearers are Dr. Ralph Robertson, Ralph Booden, Norman Lobson, John Gilbert, Graham Dodds, Bob Lowey, Tom Downey and Cedric Ludlow. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Mom's memory to the PEO Foundation, P.O. Box 421114, R.P. Ferry Road, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3J 3x7. Those you love don't go away They walk beside you every day THOMSON FUNERAL HOME 669 BROADWAY, WINNIPEG, MB R3C OX4 783-7211 Send expressions of sympathy at www.mem.com

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jul 24, 2009