Winifred Presland McTavish

It is with deep regret that we announce the peaceful passing of Winifred at the age of 102, with family by her side.

She was preceded by her loving husband Wilfred William, her parents Sidney and Emily, her brother Ronnie and her sister Louise.

She will be lovingly remembered by her son Alan (Scilla), daughter Barbara, and grandchildren, Lee (Jacqueline), Rex (Heather), Jerome (Corey), Natasha (Gautier), Jacques (Aurélia) and great-grandchildren in Canada, France and Australia.

She was cremated October 14, 2026 and her ashes will be buried next to her husband “Biff” in Marney Cemetery, Manitoba. This cemetery is on land Wilfred’s grandfather, Peter McTavish, donated for the Marney Church and Cemetery in 1901.

Winifred was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago, in 1924. Her father had left England searching for a new life in Georgetown, British Guiana, where he met his wife-to-be Emily. They married December 15th, 1914 and sailed for England on the SS Letitia the next day. Sidney then signed up for WW1, where he served in France, and later, the Prisoners of War Staff, in Egypt and Greece.

Win grew up in Welwyn Garden City, Herts, England and at the beginning of WW2 she joined the The Women Airforce Service Pilots. She and Wilf met at the Gossport Air Base pub while celebrating the end of the war in Europe (May 8, 1945) and were married September 8, 1945. Gosport, England. Wilf left for Canada on a troop ship, shortly after.

On February 18, 1946, Win sailed from Brighton to Halifax and travelled on the train called the “War Brides Special” to Winnipeg where she was met by Wilf and they then took the train to Rivers, MB where they were met by his family. They drove to Cardale and lived with his parents, T.J. and Maude, until they bought a ½ section farm kitty-corner to the Cardale school ball diamond.

Their new home had no electricity or running water. Win adjusted amazingly well and fitted well into the community. Alan was born in 1948 and Barbara in 1950. In 1959 Wilfred applied and was accepted to work for the Farm Credit Corporation, Winnipeg ( along with his Oak River friend, Jack McFadden).

The farm was sold and the family moved to 29 Riley Crescent, Fort Garry where the children attended Crane School. Win took care of the home and, for a time, worked at Murray’s Pharmacy on Stafford Street.

When Barbara joined the Faculty of Social Work at University of Manitoba, Win did the same! They later graduated together and Win joined the Winnipeg Social Services.

Wilfred and Winifred were outdoor lovers and enjoyed travelling abroad.They spent weeks at a time canoeing, camping and portaging their canoe through the wilderness of Manitoba and Ontario.

After retirement they sold Riley Crescent and built a beautiful home on lakefront property on the Lee River, near Lac du Bonnet.There they made many friends and enjoyed fishing, cross country skiing and volunteering in the community.

When life became too strenuous, they sold and purchased a home at Paradise Village, near St. Anne, MB. They made many friends and enjoyed their environment.

Time came to sell and they moved to an apartment at Dakota House in Winnipeg. Wilfred died December 30, 2015. Winifred lived there until she moved to Golden Links Lodge, Winnipeg. There she suffered from Alzheimer's disease and died peacefully from a stroke.

Barbara and Alan are so thankful for the attention and care she received from all the staff at Golden Links.

Thanks to the McPhaden family (originally from

Oak River, MB.) for their lifetime of friendship and support.

A service of remembrance for Winifred will be held at Golden Links Lodge, 2280 St. Mary's Road on Saturday, November 7, at 2pm.