MARGARET CHRISTINE GREEN

Adjust Text Size: A+ A-

MARGARET CHRISTINE GREEN Margaret, a beloved mother, grandmother, aunt, companion and friend, passed away peacefully on December 14, 2017 at Seven Oaks Hospital in Winnipeg. Margaret was born August 5, 1920 in Winnipeg to Lessie May Moore and Charles Botterell Moore. Her brother Jack was seven years older. When Margaret was two years old, the family moved to Calgary. Ten years later, they returned to Winnipeg, where Margaret attended Robert H. Smith School and then Kelvin High School. Margaret attended the University of Manitoba, where she graduated in 1941 from the Faculty of Home Economics. She pursued a career as a dietician, completing an internship at Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto. While doing that, she was in the company of other interns who became life-long friends, including Sheila Bloomer (nee Young) and Lois Pavlasek (nee O'Grady). In 1950, Margaret met Gordon Green, a student of agriculture at the University of Manitoba. Margaret and Gordon were married on July 12, 1951, and shortly thereafter moved to Madison, Wisconsin, where Gordon completed a PhD in plant pathology at the University of Wisconsin. Margaret worked as a dietician at the university's hospital. Daughter Linda was born in 1953, then sons Ross in 1955 and Keith in 1964. Summers were spent in the Whiteshell, and from 1965, at Caddy Lake. The family lived in Njoro, Kenya for six months in 1968 and in Sydney, Australia for a year in 1971-1972, where Gordon furthered his research as a plant pathologist. Gordon died of cancer in 1982. In 1986, Margaret met Tom Harrison on a Winnipeg Art Gallery tour of France. Margaret and Tom became inseparable, for 31 years. They travelled the world together: to Russia, Portugal and many other places. For many years, they spent spring with the daphodils in Victoria. In 2007, Margaret and Tom both moved to The Wellington, and spent the last 10 years there together. There is no adequate summary of Margaret's energetic life of 97 years. She was active in so many ways with both family and friends. She was was a life-long sportswoman, playing tennis and badminton until she was 75 years old. Remarkably, she attended daily exercise classes until her final day at The Wellington. Margaret learned how to paint, at Tom's suggestion, in her late 60s. She was an avid knitter, producing a steady supply of mittens, Afghans and other items. Fittingly, Margaret had the comfort of one of her striped Afghans wrapped around her when she passed away. The family thanks all those who were a part of Margaret's life, and who helped her through 10 decades. Margaret cared deeply for her grandchildren, who are Margaret and Ian Green and Sara, Adam and Zane Green. Ross and Keith wish to thank family members who supported and cared for Margaret in the last years of her life, including Brenda Mager (Ross's wife), and cousins Annabelle Wood (Everett) and Sally Moore (Jan). A special thanks goes to the friends who visited Margaret during her last days, and the staff at Seven Oaks Hospital for making her comfortable. A private memorial service for family and close friends will be arranged.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Dec 23, 2017