MARGARET RANKIN

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MARGARET RANKIN Margaret Rankin died peacefully Thursday, December 16, 2010 at the Beausejour District Hospital, succumbing to injury she received in a fall. Her son Ross and daughter-in-law Kathy were by her side. She was 98 years old. Margaret was born in Winnipeg on September 10, 1912 the second child of Lt. Col. James Lightfoot and Margaret A. Lightfoot (nee Longmuir), she had an older brother, James and later a sister Donelda. She recalled a happy childhood growing up in an innocent time in a peaceful and happy city. Margaret was a determined, energetic and optimistic person from the start. A self professed tomboy, she skated on the outdoor rinks of the time, participated in track and field, canoeing and swimming. She graduated from Kelvin High School in 1931, was enrolled in a local business college which she did not enjoy so dropped out when offered a job at Birks Jewelry. Marrying Lloyd Rankin in July 1936 at the age of 24, she began a long and happy married life which would last 53 years until Lloyd's death in 1989. Margaret enjoyed being a housewife and caring for her family, ( two sons, Ross and Brian). She was an avid backyard gardener, growing vegetables for the dinner table and preserves, and flowers for beauty. She was particularly fond of flower arranging (Ikebana), winning numerous ribbons in the Winnipeg Horticultural Shows. She was a dedicated member of U.C.W. Unit 14 of the Fort Garry United Church where she served with a tightly knit group of neighbourhood women (all close friends) for over 50 years, attending monthly meetings until shortly before she died. Not one to wait until someone else did it, she was always ready to volunteer and worked with many organizations and on her own to help people in need, she had the ability to put people at ease, allowing them to feel comfortable, secure and happy. For one who was dealt such a frail body, racked by arthritis for more than half of her life, she didn't complained, and managed to ring an amazingly long, happy and productive life out of it. She was loved, appreciated and relied upon by everyone who knew and worked with her. She is greatly missed by her sons, Ross (Kathy) and Brian (Elaine); and grandchildren, Sunny Shishido (Yutaka), Zoe, Andrew, Elizabeth, Michael, Lauren and Ian (Becky), as well as her five great-grandchildren. The family would sincerely like to thank the staff at the Beausejour District Hospital and East Gate Lodge and Dr. Van Rensburg for their kind and loving care in looking after Margaret during her stay with them. It was truly inspiring. A family interment of the ashes is planned for the spring at Brookside Cemetery. SOBERING FUNERAL CHAPEL CREMATORIUM, Beausejour 268-3510 or MB toll free 1-877-776-2220 www.soberingfuneralchapel.com

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jan 08, 2011