Margaret Patricia Hayden-Williams

Margaret Patricia Hayden-Williams -- Halifax NS/ Saint John NB. Margaret spent only some of her career in the field of education; but she spent all of her life teaching us and showing us by example how to live a life of grace, style and savoir faire.

Born in Saint John, New Brunswick to Ferne and the late J Kenneth Hayden she found in both her parents wonderful examples of life’s meaning. Margaret put all of the words learn, see, participate, do, try, give, and enjoy into action. From those beginnings she built a full and rewarding life. She loved to swim, play golf and tennis, and did all with an ease that would leave the rest of us wanting. The same was true for her artistic, public speaking and business skills.

She graduated from the Univ. of New Brunswick where she received her degrees in BA and B.Ed.. She taught math before becoming a publisher’s representative and Atlantic Manager for the Education Division of Addison Wesley Publishing and Doubleday Canada. It was during this part of her career, while covering the province of Newfoundland, that she met her husband George Williams. Watching them together was one of life’s pleasures. They moved to Halifax in 1979 and in no time became part of the fabric of the city. Through the years Margaret was an avid volunteer and board member at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, currently chairing the Art Tour Committee, she was a past Neptune Theatre board member and on the executive committee, Metro Halifax Flowers of Hope Campaign Chair, National Board of Canadian Professional Sales Association and YMCA Canada Pension Board, to name just a few.

The admiration, respect, love and enjoyment George and Margaret took in each others company was only intensified when their son Geoff and daughter Elizabeth came into their lives. Fully engaged in every part of each other’s lives they could be found as one at school events, on ski hills and basketball courts. The time they spent together on Belleisle Bay in New Brunswick boating and just being together was cherished by each of them. Their life as a family unit ended far too quickly when George passed away in 2000. Margaret assumed the mantle of both parents in caring for their children and her new granddaughter, Sophia, whose first birthday she was able to celebrate on August 10th.

In 1998 Margaret made a career change and became an Investment Advisor. Long having shown interest in the markets she made the commitment and achieved her securities license. She worked for a number of years at Acadian Securities before joining Wellington West Capital Inc., where she was currently employed. She was respected and loved by her clients and her colleagues equally. Each and every day she came into the office and gave her best to those whose interests she had undertaken as her responsibility. If illness was her opponent you could be sure it was going to be handed “her best serve”. Margaret was not ready to die and would be most annoyed at herself for having done so.

She would be the first to say that her life was enriched by her friends. The Saint John friends, the Mt. A. friends, the publishing friends, the investment industry friends, the neighbourhood friends, her cousin friends, the Belleisle friends and the ones she made because of the warmth and vibrancy of her personality.

For the past eight years Margaret has shared her life, family and friends with Doug Gorveatt. Together they travelled the world and shared many wonderful adventures. Margaret provided an example of energy and joy to Doug, his family and friends. She will be deeply missed by them all.

Margaret ventured to many parts of the world and just last year she hiked the Camino Santiago solo, an impressive feat that she wanted to conquer for herself.

The light from this effervescent personality has been extinguished, but the afterglow will remain. It will continue to shine in the lives of her son Geoff, her daughter Elizabeth and her granddaughter Sophia. The devotion between Margaret and her dear mother Ferne remained a constant, as well to her brother Jim and his wife Jean, and their family.

She leaves behind a multitude of admirers who will marvel in her life and grieve her loss.

The family would like to thank all of the Palliative Care staff and nurses at the VG for their warmth and kindness while caring for Margaret.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Cruikshank’s Funeral Home. A Celebration of Margaret’s life will take place at The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, 1723 Hollis Street, Halifax NS on Wednesday September 8, 2010 at 4 p.m. In keeping with her generous spirit, donations in Margaret’s memory may be made to a charity of your choice. To place an online message of condolence please visit www.cruikshankhalifaxfuneralhome.com