Ada Margaret Grapko

Daughter, sister, mom, grandma, auntie, teacher, friend, Margie was loved by her family, her friends, her colleagues, her neighbours, and her students. So it is with deep sadness that we lay her to rest.

Born October 2, 1947 in Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan, Marg graduated high school in 1965 and completed her BA (Drama) and BEd with distinction at the University of Saskatchewan in 1971.

She spent her adult life as a teacher. One might say that teaching was a defining characteristic as much as it was her profession. She began her career in Shaunavon, SK and went on to teach in many places in Saskatchewan and Alberta including Gull Lake, SK, Medicine Hat, AB, Wetaskiwin County, AB, Maskwascis, AB, and most recently at various LINC programs and EMCN in Edmonton.

While she was in Gull Lake, Margie met Bob Grapko. They married on July 21, 1974. Daughter Danika was born in 1980 and Joni in 1983. They built their lives in Medicine Hat, moving several times in Saskatchewan and Alberta. Margie adored her girls; her pride evident in many stories of their triumphs and successes. As her family expanded, she relished the opportunities she had to travel and spend quality time with those close to her.

Margie rose to every challenge and supported others in their moments of adversity. She was an eternal optimist. She was thoughtful, she had a generosity of spirit that was reflected in her desire to 'celebrate the moments'. Margie could always be counted on to remember birthdays, anniversaries, and important dates. She knew, and could recite off the 'top of her head', the birthday of every single member of the family. She was proud of her role as the ‘family record-keeper’. She remembered people, the ways they connected, and the things they valued; she had a real gift for making each person feel special and important.

She was an engaged participant in every community she joined including Block Parents, gymnastics club, various churches, the Chamber of Commerce, Communities in Bloom, the condo board, and the Edmonton Mennonite Center for Newcomers. She made an effort to make the world a bit better for everyone who she came into contact with. She made a difference.

Margie loved music, she felt it was a gift that she could share with others. She was a piano teacher from the time she was young and ensured that her girls were involved in music. Music was instrumental in her life and the tradition of music has been passed down through her children to her grandchildren. She celebrated moments of happiness with a celebratory dance of joy; she found it comforting and connected with people through playing the piano at seniors’ lodges, Christmas carolling, to name a few. She was a lifelong learner and sharer of knowledge. She knew the value of spending time with the people she cared about, even if she had only just met them. She loved and was loved.

Marg will be missed by her friends, neighbours, colleagues, and students. She is predeceased by her parents, Stanley and Lena McLeod, her brother Al, her sisters-in-law Joyce and Lorna, and her brother-in-law David. She is deeply missed by many nieces and nephews, by her sisters Ilene and Marion (Fred) and brothers Don and George (Karen) and by her children Danika (Aryana) and Joni (Roy) and grandchildren Aydan, Chloe, and Kaeli.

To attend the service virtually please follow the link: https://view.oneroomstreaming.com/authorise.php?k=1629930903132897