It’s with heavy hearts we announce the passing of Margaret Thomson Brown (nee Renton) on Monday, October 3, 2016 in Winnipeg.
Margaret was the beloved wife of David Brown (deceased); the cherished mother of Allyson (David Nicholas) and Valerie (Greg Moore) and the doting grandma of Cody and Thomas Moore.
Margaret also leaves behind her family and friends to carry on her memory. Sister-in-law Mary Renton; niece Moragh Paul (Eldon) and their children Graham (Laura), Matthew and Adrian; nephew Ross Renton of Regina, Saskatchewan; nephew Douglas Ian Cuddy (Margaret) and their children Angela Charette (Brian) and Michael (Melinda) of Mississauga, Ontario; niece Shelagh Margaret Girouard (Ray) and their children Sara Hancheruk (Jason) and Erin of Winnipeg, Manitoba; cousins Sandra Smith Ott and Patricia Smith Dodich of British Columbia, Joanne Smith of England/Spain and Eleanor Van Every of California; Moira Bell of Ireland; Goddaughter Jennifer Veitch (John Donkin) of Ottawa, Ontario; dearest friends Neil and Pat MacConnell of Sidney, BC; Ken and Iris Callis, Garth Panting, Elaine Rheault, Heather Smith, Sharon Tod of Winnipeg; the Rutherford family and Rae family of Star Lake, Manitoba; the Good family of B.C. and Ontario; Catherine Loscerbo Jr. of Chemainus, B.C.; and many family and friends across the world. Thank you to those who cared so passionately for Margaret in her last days.
Margaret was predeceased by her parents Robert John Renton (Edinburgh, Scotland) and Elizabeth Murray Smith (Glasgow, Scotland); brother Douglas Godfrey Renton; sister Elizabeth (Bette) Murray Renton Cuddy and brother-in-law John D Cuddy; grandniece Kerri Cuddy; uncle and aunt Stan and Bernice Smith of Moose Jaw; grandparents Godfrey Douglas Renton (Bethnal Green, England) and Jeanie Blair Thomson (St. Cuthberts, Scotland); William Montgomery Smith (Hutchesontown, Scotland) and Elizabeth Murray (Old Monkland, Scotland).
Margaret was born at home on 11 Leader Street in Riddrie, Dennistoun, Glasgow, Scotland. Margaret grew up in Riddrie with her parents, brother Douglas and sister Bette and best friend Billie Riddell. Margaret comes from a proud history of Renton organ builders and her father continued as a piano tuner and technician. When he travelled frequently all across Scotland, Margaret looked forward to the postcards he sent from each place he visited – always with his family on his mind. Her mother was the eldest of nine children and after immigrating with her entire family to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, she returned to Scotland a few months later to start her family. Margaret was always inspired by her mum’s independent force of nature, but fun loving spirit. She had great memories of family holiday time spent in Ayrshire.
Margaret worked for a time at Holyrood Knitwear in Glasgow that gave her a love for knitting. She advanced her education and received a certificate in Business Administration at Baird College. When her brother, whom she shared a sense of humour with, enlisted in the air force during WW2, she was extremely excited to receive “sweeties” from him. Her sister enlisted in the Observer Corps., Margaret was introduced to the exciting new world of dance halls. After the war, Bette was one of many war brides and sailed off to Canada. The family had then moved to Grey Friars Gardens in St. Andrews, Fifeshire. In the years to come if anyone asked whereabouts in Scotland she was from, she would say St. Andrews (even with her Glaswegian accent)! Margaret worked at Walker and Pride Architects in St. Andrews as office manager where she met her future husband, David Brown, a senior design architect. Margaret was an avid competitive badminton player and became friends with her future sister-in-law, Mary. David acquainted her to the Rugby crowd, but wooed her with his poetry and love letters. Margaret’s mother decided she was sailing to Canada to help Bette after the birth of her son and once there thought it best if the rest of the family immigrate to Canada in May 1954. David followed her to Winnipeg in July 1954.
Margaret and David were married at Crescent Fort Rouge United Church March 18, 1955, honeymooning in Kenora, Ontario. Margaret worked at Chipman Chemicals as a secretary before becoming a “homemaker”. They eventually raised their two daughters and Brandy the Siamese cat in Wildwood Park. . A very close bond would bring the family together almost daily and Margaret loved the tradition of Christmas Eve at the Brown’s and Christmas dinner at the Renton’s with the Cuddy’s. They formed life-long friendships and shared inclusive family experiences, such as all night section parties (with all the kids watching Chiller Thriller and Night Gallery at the Brown’s house), Grey Cup parties, New Year’s Eve events, winter ski trips to Wendigo, and camping at Falcon Lake and Rushing River to name a few. Family was often included in many gatherings with friends, especially her parents, as friends were like family and family was like friends to Margaret. She was very involved at the Wildewood Club promoting badminton and playing with kindred spirits, dressing up for her theme based tournaments and organizing social gatherings. She cheered on the Toronto Maple Leafs much to the chagrin of David, a devout Canadiens fan. She also enthusiastically supported the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Winnipeg Jets. Music and dancing was always a part of her well-being. Margaret and David could certainly “cut a rug” all across the dance floor; singing mockingly to “Feelings” and boogying to “Do You Think I’m Sexy”. Margaret had an appreciation for the arts, ballet, theatre, musicals, and going to “the pictures” and drive-ins. She volunteered in many community based sports such as ringette, baseball, figure skating, and WWCC canteen. Margaret also volunteered as a Brown Owl for Brownies, Winnipeg Girls Choir, The School for the Deaf, chauffeuring daughters and their friends, helping with homework, among others. In 1979 Margaret and David moved to Grande Prairie, Alberta where David was the Project Architect for the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital and Margaret established Thomson Secretarial Services. Moving away from Winnipeg was extremely difficult “leaving her life behind”, especially right after the passing of her father. She soon took to travelling in stride with excitement and sense of adventure. They would then move many times including Edmonton, Calgary, The Bahamas, Malaysia, and Cowichan Bay, B.C., retiring back in Winnipeg. She formed new and lasting friendships along the way and remained involved in the community in which she found herself. Nothing was more important than family. Every single Christmas was spent with husband David, Allyson and Valerie no matter where in the world they lived at the time.
Margaret was most at home in her family cottage at Star Lake, spending all her summers down at the lake with David, her girls, nieces and nephews, the Moose Jaw clan, her niece Moragh and the WW gang. In the later years the addition of her “sons” and her grandsons brought another generation to the Star Lake way of life. “Mrs. Blouse” loved hiking in Star Lake t-shirts – all the girls in blue and Margaret in red – adorning her “sh**” hat as the St. Swithuns leader. Monty Python, Faulty Towers, Coronation Street, tennis, Moose Jaw craps, Pic-a-Pop, driving in the hot yellow Cougar, board games, jigsaw puzzles, cryptic crossword puzzles, shaving cream fights, slides, jive dancing, homemade pizza, watching skiing with pride, swimming in her bathing costume, bear patrol, The Pine Cone, Kenora trips, camping in a Triple E, impromptu porch sing along parties young and old, castanets and maracas, “Tubby” the tractor inner tube, the Sportspal canoe, “The Maggie” a Peterborough boat, Poker Derby, Beaver Days, thunderstorms, stargazing, bonfires, and cruising out on the lake. It was an open door policy where everyone was welcomed with open arms and lots of love and laughter.
Margaret’s greatest joy was being a mother to her two girls. Her love was vocal, unconditional, undying and supportive. She instilled a passion for putting family first, love for the joy of loving, dance like no one’s watching, sing your heart out, holding hands and twirling, view life with a sense of humour, accept the things you cannot change with grace and humility, tell it like it is, respect for others, compassion for animals, and all things Scottish. Above all – just be you and live life to the fullest with no regrets!
Margaret loved her “The Brown Boys”, Greg and Dave. With Dave, Margaret often shared a carafe of white wine; stories while doing yard work, and playing “my bridge” on road trips. Greg would marvel at the necessity to take a photo of the ducks every year, her quick wit and her resolve to let him decipher her Scottish accent. She treasured her grandsons, Cody and Tom. Grandma gave Cody the love of reading and the “proper” use of vocabulary, tenderness and singing karaoke. Grandma gave Tom the passion for coin and stamp collection, the art of calligraphy and shorthand writing, and appreciation for nature. Both were given the gift of sarcasm.
Margaret will be fondly remembered for her love of family and friends, her joyful spirit, her enthusiasm for life, intimate conversations and her ability to blend in with the younger generation. The legacy that she leaves to us – is that we all try to give a little more, not always concerned about bettering our own game, but in helping others – to put something back.
A private service was held.
If you so desire, any donations can be made to The Winnipeg Humane Society or charity of your choice.
And there's a hand, my trusty fiere!
And gie's a hand o' thine!
And we'll tak a right guid willie waught,
For auld lang SYNE!!!!
“For everything there is a season”
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