GUINEVERE MARGARET MORTON (ORDE)

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GUINEVERE MARGARET MORTON (nee ORDE) 10 June 1911 - 21 June 2001 Peg Morton died peacefully at St. Boniface Hospital on Thursday morning. She was predeceased by her parents, Frank Orde and Sarah Massender; her brother Harry; her sisters, Edith, Georgie, Dorothy and Jean, and her husband W.L. (Bill) Morton, the historian. Survived by her children Orde, Lionel and Anne. Peg was a devoted Winnipegger and apart from sojourns in Brandon, Peterborough and London, England, she lived most of her life within walking distance of her birthplace in Fort Rouge. As a child and young woman she loved sports, even joining CGIT so she could play baseball. She thus had to attend St. Augustines on Sunday evening in addition to her own church St. Lukes on Sunday morning. She played basketball and ice hockey at the University of Manitoba. After she graduated in 1931 she played on the Northern Lights, one of four womens ice hockey teams which compete at the Ampitheatre. A speedy left winger, she remembered her students at Luxton School, who had come to support the rival North End team, shouting "Come on, Miss Orde!" Among her other accomplishments at the U of M were being a charter member of its Alpha Gamma Delta chapter and serving as Lady Stick. Peg was an able mathematician and intended to qualify as an actuary. In those days, and for many years after, Great-West Life would not hire women actuaries so she abandoned this goal. She taught for some years both in the Winnipeg School system and at St. Johns College. She marred Bill Morton on August 22, 1936. She was a loving wife and mother and very supportive of Bills career as teacher, writer and administrator. Skilled at running a home, she was a talented party-giver, cook and gardener. She was also good at carpentry, which came in useful at the Clearwater Bay cottage. Much as she loved Winnipeg, she knew it could be a better place for many of its citizens. She contributed to her community as a volunteer, beginning with her membership in the Junior League. The Elizabeth Fry Society, Middlechurch Home and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet were only some of the organizations to which she brought her energy, her common sense and her financial acumen. Peg was very much her own person. She was very pleased when someone who knew her only through volunteer work professed amazement at learning she was the mother of three children! Peg was a great enjoyer and even as her life became more and more limited because of illness and disability she always managed to find something of interest in what was going on around her. Special thanks to Yvette, Maria and Pilar and to the staff at St. Boniface Hospital for all their help and kindness. A graveside service will be held on Thursday, June 28 at 2:00 p.m. at St. Johns Cathedral Cemetery, 135 Anderson Avenue with the Rev. Canon A.M.L. Klassen officiating. A reception to follow at Pegs home. Donations to the United Way of Winnipeg, 5 Donald St., 3rd floor, Winnipeg, MB, R3L 9Z9, The Royal Winnipeg Ballet, 380 Graham, Winnipeg, MB R3C 4M1 or the Art Gallery of Peterborough in Pegs memory will be appreciated. LEATHERDALE GARDINER 232 Kennedy Street 949-4878

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jun 25, 2001