MARGARET MCRITCHIE

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MARGARET MCRITCHIE Margaret McRitchie passed away on February 20, 2011 at Vista Park Lodge after a courageous battle with cancer at the age of 82. She was predeceased by her husband Robert in 2006 and is survived by a son, daughter and grandson. Margaret was born on November 23, 1928 in Kamsack, SK. After finishing high school in Kamsack, she moved to Winnipeg to further her education where she would meet and ultimately marry Robert McRitchie in 1950. For the next decade, she focused on starting and raising a family. However, in 1960 she began what would ultimately become a 30 year career in teaching when she began taking substitute assignments on a part time basis. In 1963, she took her first full time position as a business education teacher at Miles Macdonell Collegiate, ultimately rising to the position of Department Head. In 1971 she was part of the inaugural staff of the new Kildonan East Collegiate where she again headed the business education department and went on to establish one of the first computer science courses in the province. Margaret was a true pioneer in computer science education. She introduced micro-computers into the high school curriculum in the mid 1970s. These were so new that there was little in the way of available text books so she went on to write her own. Ultimately, she would have two text books published which became standards in North America and translated for the Spanish language market. During this time, she continued her education on a part time basis at the University of Manitoba where she ultimately received a BSc in Computer Science in 1980. Margaret retired in 1989 when she joined her husband in pursing their shared love of travel. Cremation followed by a private family service has been held. If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society, Manitoba Division, 193 Sherbrook St., Winnipeg, MB R3C2B7.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Apr 11, 2011