Marjorie "Marj" Pollard

She was predeceased by her parents William (Bill) and Leona Pohlmann, her husband, Earle and her grandchild, Colin. She is survived by her children Glen (Pam), Diane (Bill), and Elaine (Jean); and her grandchildren Christopher and Shelagh (Chris), Dustin and Riley, Alec (Ruth), Zach and Jenna.

Mom was born in Shaunavon, Saskatchewan where she grew up and lived until she moved to Winnipeg in 1943 to attend the University of Manitoba where she graduated in 1947 with a BSc in Home Economics. She loved her time at university and was active in her Zeta Tau Alpha sorority. She was also proud of belonging to the Rifle Club and was known for her excellent marksmanship. Her first job was at King Edward School in 1948 where she taught for three years.

It was at the U of M that she met her future husband, Earle. They married in 1948 and after living along the Assiniboine River in Chelsea Court until their first child, Glen, was two, they moved to a new development in the south end of the city known as Ft. Garry, to a street in progress called Sandra Bay. Mom raised her three children there and continued to do substituting in Home Ec at different schools, including (much to the chagrin of her daughter) Vincent Massey.

She had a keen interest in many activities including bowling, bridge, painting, wood work, the Investment Club and Art Study Group at the Winnipeg Art Gallery, volunteer work at the Misericordia Hospital for 10 years, and becoming camp hostess at Anglican Summer Camp on Lake of the Woods, as well as being on their camp committee. Our family spent every summer there from 1957 until the camp closed in 2001. She also loved to travel and went on many adventures with Earle and close friends to Portugal, Spain, Alaska, England, Ireland, Scotland, Russia, Sweden, Italy, New Zealand and Hawaii. If Dad wasn’t able to manage the time away, she joined her friends from the Art Gallery and did many tours abroad with them as well.

After giving up the responsibility of the house on Sandra Bay, Mom and Dad moved to Sterling House and enjoyed the many activities and friends they met there. After Dad passed she moved to Riverwood Square, then after a fall which sent her to the hospital, she moved to Oakview Place where, after being told at the hospital she would be confined to a wheel chair, proved them wrong and with rehab, started walking again. She was disheartened to not be able to do what her head told her she could still do, but came to accept that her body just wasn’t on board anymore. She always looked forward to visitors, phone calls, her twice a week Brain Vitality with Sharon and Alison and her weekly outing with her companion, Donna, who we are so thankful to for keeping her borders expanded. Though she was quite insistent that she had no idea what she was doing anymore, usually after one of her many TIA’s, she managed quite well to continue with all her activities and questions about the latest news on all the “kids”, remembering sometimes the smallest details. Lately she had been feeling worn out. She was very happy with the life she had been blessed with and was thrilled with her surprise 90th birthday party back in 2015 with family all flying in to celebrate together, but was also ready, in her words, “to move on”.

Cremation has taken place and a Celebration of Life will be held at Thomson “In the Park” Funeral Home at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 22nd, 2018 with internment and a light lunch to follow.

A special thank you to the caring staff at Oakview Place who were a wonderful support throughout mom’s stay there and most especially in the last few weeks.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Manitoba Alzheimer’s Society to aid in the research of dementia and the families it affects.