MARGARET JOAN QUAID

Margie aka Margie Joan was born in Victoria, BC to Francis & Jennie Quaid. They moved back to Lac Vert, Sk when Margie was 9 months old.  Francis ran the White Rose gas station while they were there.  Then the family moved to the Pederson homestead near Naicam. Margie spent the rest of her formative years in Naicam attending elementary and high school there. She would spend hours playing with her cousin Linda Ponath and her Jestin cousins and many friends.  Most of all, she spent her time making up stories and plays with her beloved animals from Hootie the owl, Susie the pig to her many pups. The most infamous of her pets was her dog Sandy.  When they moved into town Sandy would follow Margie wherever she went.  Sandy would shop for her own dog food at the Co-op where Jennie, her Mom, worked and Margie would often send notes & money in Sandy’s mouth asking for some food from the local restaurants.  Sandy would dutifully bring it back, untouched.

In her 20’s, she moved to Saskatoon to attend business college and then on to Calgary for a few years.  She then decided to move back to Naicam.  During her 2nd stint in Naicam, Margie would be seen at dances, movies, Rider games and most of all the curling rink with her friends Ruby Lindsay & Marg Jestin.  Curling is a passion that stayed with Margie all her life as well as being a diehard Riders fan. (One of the first phrases she taught her granddaughter was “Go Riders”) Cropper Motors is where she worked during her time in Naicam.  She loved working there.

 After the birth of her ‘darling’ daughter Jennifer in 1974, she moved back to Saskatoon. Her dog Josie the poodle was Jennifer’s first ‘babysitter’.  If Margie wasn’t paying enough attention, Josie made sure to let Margie know. Then Billie the poodle joined Margie and Jennifer at the condo on Haight Cr. She spent almost 30 years with her Sherbrooke Community Centre family. Muriel Jarvis hired Margie as her assistant at Sherbrooke in 1977 and became Aunt Jarvis to Jennifer. Margie loved going to the Sherbrooke soft ball games and volunteering at the Mardi Gras and Very Victorian Tea fundraisers. Also, Margie would drag her friends from Sherbrooke to her cousin Bruce’s bar in Swayers.  Often Bruce’s sister Joanne would join as well.  Many nights would be spent at her Mom’s and Cliff’s (Cliff was Jennie’s partner after Francis died) apartment or at Dorothy & Joe Jestin’s or at Dave & Audrey Jestin’s playing cards.

Edmonton was a second home to Margie because of her Aunt Margaret and Uncle Adelard Gaudreau.  She spent many summers as child/teenager in Edmonton with them and her cousins Rick and Lisa. Most Christmases and Easters were spent there as well. When Jennifer came along, the tradition of spending summers, Christmases and Easters continued.  Especially when the newest cousin Cody (Rick’s son) was born. Driving up to 155th St always felt like home, she said.

Margie was a fantastic Mom to Jennifer.  The ultimate dance mom, she was in the wings of Jennifer’s dance recitals on the head sets with the Eloise (the director of the dance school) making sure the show was running smoothly.  Margie would be running Jennifer from dance to swimming lessons to soft ball practice, often in the same day.  She was also 2nd mom to a lot of Jennifer’s friends.  She would go from teaching them about the birds & the bees to giving the girls rides home from the bar.

During her 40’s and 50’s her love of dogs led her into the world of dog shows.  First, Bogey the Bichon then Molly the Bichon participated in shows but never went very far. Bogey got her name because of Margie’s other love, Golf.  She wished for a bogey when she went golfing. So, she thought: “I will get a bogey by naming my dog Bogey”. Her love of Bichon Friese transferred to her friend Norma, who she worked with, & Norma’s husband, Roger Huston.  One of their daughters was allergic to their new Bichon, Lucy, so over coffee at work (That was her unofficial office was when she became a part of the HR team at Sherbrooke) they decided to share Lucy. Lucy would spend 1 week with the Huston’s and 1 week with the Quaid’s.  This is how Lucy, the share dog, came into Margie’s life.

After her mother passed, Margie retired. This saw another move to Naicam, where her dream of owning a standalone house came true.  She enjoyed her time there playing cards and golfing but the lure to Saskatoon became too strong when her daughter was getting serious with a new beau, Jamie. Just as she was in the midst of moving back to Saskatoon her other dream came true.  Jen & Jamie told her she was going to be a Grandma.  She giggled like a schoolgirl.  She was happy with her grand dog, Indy, but being a Grandmother sent her over the moon.  Finnley was born in October 2012 and Marmy (she didn’t like the name Grandma so went with the mother’s name from Little women) was waiting at their house to greet them. The following spring was Jen and Jamie’s wedding.  Margie loved the wedding, but she enjoyed the wedding prep more because she was on Finn duty. In January 2014, Finn’s little sister, Rowyn came along.  Marmy’s life was complete.  She had her Pride & Joy (Finn & Rowyn).

Molly the Bichon was her side kick until Molly passed in July 2014.  Margie thought she wasn’t going to get another dog because her mobility wasn’t good due to post-polio syndrome (PPS).  She had polio when she was 7.  But surprise, in May 2015, Georgie the shitzu/bichon joined her.  Unfortunately, her PPS was too much, and Georgie came to live with Jen, Jamie, Finn & Rowyn.

The last move was to Winnipeg September 2017 to be with her pride & joy. Jamie’s job with Cargill moved them to Cargill’s Canadian headquarters in Winnipeg. Margie first lived in a retirement community but after her stroke in March 2018, she moved to The Convalescence Home of Winnipeg then to River East Personal Care Home.

Margie peacefully passed in the loving care of her daughter and River East Personal Care Home. Awaiting Margie are her Mom, Dad, Aunt Margaret, Uncle Ad, Jestin/Ponath cousins and all her beloved animals. Left to feel her love and memory are Jennifer, Jamie, Finnley & Rowyn, Pets Indy & Georgie, many close cousins, family and friends.

There are many memories of Margie, but what will be missed most is her laugh and the twinkle in her eye. You knew Margie was in a room because of her heartwarming laugh.

Memorial Donations can be made to:

Sherbrooke Community Centre (Saskatoon)

The Convalescence Home of Winnipeg Attn: Rec Dept (Winnipeg)

River East Personal Care Home Attn: Rec Dept (Winnipeg)

The Heart & Stroke Society of Canada

Due to COVID, interment will be held at a later date

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ETHICAL DEATH CARE

Cremation & Life Celebrations

530 St. Mary Avenue - Winnipeg

204-421-5501 - www.ethicaldeathcare.com

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