Marjorie Isabel Robertson

A private graveside service will be held for her family to say goodbye. Send flowers to someone you love and tell them how they mean to you. Marjorie would appreciate that.

Marjorie grew up on a farm in rural Saskatchewan during the 1920’s and ‘30’s and lived through the Dust Bowl & Great Depression. The discipline of hard work and depression-era values stayed with her throughout her life.

She rode a horse to a one room schoolhouse. She worked on the farm and trapped gophers to sell their tails to earn an allowance. Her goal was to leave the farm and rural life behind, so she moved to North Battleford and studied to become a hairdresser, then on to Ottawa and a job at the new Lord Elgin Hotel.

Marjorie worked in Ottawa during the war and met her future husband Robbie, after he returned from WWII and had graduated from UBC as an engineer. Marjorie finally had everything she’d dreamed of - a tall, dark, handsome war hero who loved music and dancing as much as she did.

To a girl born on a depression-era farm, Ottawa post WWII was a dream of dance bands and parties.

Marjorie and her new husband moved to Chilliwack in 1952 so Robbie could take over management of the family building supply business, following the death of Robbie’s father.

Their son Stewart was born in 1954, and Robbie was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1960. Robbie was appointed Aide-de-Camp to the Lieutenant Governor of BC and Marjorie and Robbie were invited to a ball at Government House in Victoria to meet Queen Elizabeth. This was one of the highlights of Marjorie’s life.

For the next 17 years Marjorie cared for Robbie as he slowly succumbed to MS, and he passed away on January 18, 1976. Somehow during this period Marjorie raised a child, cared for an ailing husband, and financially supported the family while working full-time in a jewelry store. In her spare time, she volunteered as a hairdresser to long term patients at the Chilliwack hospital.

After Robbie passed away, Marjorie started another life. She was 58 years old and widowed in a small town. She continued to work at the jewelry store, did more volunteer work, joined various charitable organizations and exercised religiously.

At the age of 92 Marjorie moved into Tapestry at UBC as the first and oldest resident in the newly opened facility. She had to pass a rigorous physical because Tapestry management thought she was too old for a 55+ community. Fourteen years later after multiple management changes, staff turnover and the death of most of the early residents, Marjorie’s failing health and advanced age of 106 meant she should move to Casa Mia Senior’s Residence in Vancouver.

This was a difficult decision and a process which Marjorie accepted without complaint and with grace, as she had lived her entire life.

Marjorie loved music, dancing, flowers and people. Throughout her life she had many friends but outlived them all.

At the end she accepted without complaint the indignity of having her body and mind slowly fail her and simply made do with what she had. We could all learn from Marjorie in this regard.

Rest in peace Marjorie. You earned it.