Margaret HAYWARD

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HAYWARD: Margaret Lettie passed away on May 26, 2010. Born in Sifton Municipality on September 10, 1919, she was the eldest child of Arthur and Mary Cooper. She took her high school in Winnipeg where she played baseball. She then moved to Sudbury where she met and married Kenneth Roy Daniel Hayward on January 26, 1941. Darlene was born in 1941 and Bryan was born in 1942. In 1947 the family moved back to Ken’s home community where they worked for Ken’s brother Stanford and then rented and bought sister Myra and brother-in-law, Bill Hooper’s farm where they had a third child, Jacie in 1951. Margaret lived the rest of her 63 years on this farm. In 1978 when Ken passed away, Margaret continued on with the farming operation. Margaret’s focus was farming, only renting her land three years ago. Margaret’s life was focused on family and community. She was an avid gardener, who processed her surplus for winter and shared her produce with family and community members. Margaret has been an active community member of several groups including the United Church Women, the Ladies Auxillary, the Melita Rural Life Support Group and most recently the Reston Seniors Curling Club, the Reston Drop-In Centre and the South West Dance Club. Margaret was a provincial government appointee to the Manitoba Farm Machinery Board in the 1980s. She was an active member of the National Farmers Union for 41 years and also a member of the New Democratic Party. In 2007 Margaret received the National Farmers Union Grassroots Leadership Citation Award for her work 41 years of membership as a canvasser, convention delegate, Women’s District Director and Women’s Advisory Committee member. She is predeceased by her husband Kenneth, her father, Arthur: mother, Mary: brother, Jack: brother-in-laws, Stanford, Bill, Ben, Harold and Henry: sister-in laws, Myra, Ellice, Lorraine and Joyce: daughter-in-law, Edith, nephew Grant, niece Lois, and special friend Keith. She is survived by brother Bob and sister-in-law Edith: daughter, Darlene (Bob), son, Bryan (Elizabeth), and daughter, Jacie (Aldin), relatives and friends. Grandchildren and great grandchildren include Laurene, Dion and Idia; Connie, Murray and Devin; Lloyd, Cynthia, Kenneth and Lily; Corina, Corey, Mathew and Melisa, as well as extended grandchildren and an ever expanding group of great grandchildren. A Celebration of Life was held in Sinclair Memorial Hall on May 30th. Donations may be made to The National Farmers Foundation or to a charity of your choice.

As published in Brandon Sun on Jun 26, 2010