Lois Reta MacKay Thurgood

Lois passed away at 97 in Camp Hill Veterans Hospital, Halifax, after a well-lived and accomplished life. Born into a farm family in Albany, PEI, she took part in the work, joys, and challenges of rural life, which included, at the age of 12, spending a winter transporting logs by horse team. A top student at the nearby one-room schoolhouse, Lois became a teacher after studying at Prince of Wales College, Charlottetown. During WWII, she worked inspecting weapons in a Sorel, QC munitions plant before becoming a corporal and drill instructor in the RCAF, "defending Saskatchewan from invasion," as she put it. After the war, she earned a BA at Acadia U, then was the first woman to earn an MA in English at Dalhousie U. While waitressing at Keltic Lodge in Cape Breton for a summer, she met Charlie Thurgood, whom she married in 1949. Lois raised four children, while teaching school and writing for magazines, while in the Wallace, NS region and in Windsor, ON, where she lived from 1959 until moving to Halifax in 2016. In retirement, Lois devoted herself to volunteer work, rising to the presidency of Save The Children Canada, while remaining active in Emmanuel United Church. Lois was a remarkably upbeat and positive person, bringing enthusiasm, fun, and passion to all activities, whether raising children, being a grandmother, volunteering in church and community, teaching, directing plays, leading CGIT, watching hockey, birding, writing, travelling, skating, playing piano, leading singsongs, or hosting social gatherings, to name but a few. She was a popular teacher at Walkerville Collegiate in Windsor, experimental in her approach, and devoting long hours to marking and to planning lessons. She helped generations of young people, many of whom wrote to or visited her in later years. Despite adversities, including the loss of her beloved husband Charlie in 2012, Lois remained loving, helpful, humorous, and positive. At 96, she made her last annual trip to her cherished Island home. She lived a full and rich life, but, at the end, was ready to leave, and died peacefully. Lois will be missed greatly by her extended family and many friends. The daughter of Lt-Gov. J. George and Muriel (Boulter) MacKay, Lois was predeceased by husband Charlie, infant John William, brothers, Sutherland and John MacKay, and sisters, Audrey Waugh Muttart and Phyllis MacKay (infant). She is survived by her children: George (Ann Willoughby), Ranald (Maura Volante), James (Jennie Jiang), and Ann; grandchildren, Michael, Caroline, Brigid (Jan Fajerski), Alanna, Alex (Monika Ptaszynska), Fred (Brittany MacRae), and Jake Thurgood, and Rebecca Paterson (Fin); great-grandchildren, Lucas, Lachlan, and Annie Paterson, and Apolonia Thurgood; sister-in-law, Roma MacKay; former daughters-in-law, Christiane Thurgood and Katherine Grier; as well as by nephews, nieces, and cousins of many generations, all dearly loved by Lois. Among the many her family would like to thank for helping Lois in her latter years are her doctors and health workers, residents and staff at Parkland Clayton Park, Halifax, and Oak Park Terrace, Windsor, and her supportive community in PEI and Windsor, especially at Emmanuel United. The funeral service will be at South Shore United Church, Tryon, PEI, on June 29, 1:30 pm. Visitation will be at Dawson Funeral Home, Crapaud, PEI, June 28, 6:30 -8;30 pm. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Save The Children in Lois's name.