Margaret Burrill

Margaret Ann Burrill passed away peacefully in her sleep at the age of 84 on the afternoon of August 21, 2021. She is survived by her husband of sixty years, Alfred Burrill, as well as her children Andrea (Paul) Mills, Ruth (David) Noble, Philip (Monika) Burrill, and David (Cheryl) Burrill. She leaves behind her grandchildren James (Katy Furness), Ross, and Eric Funk; Naomi, Phoebe, Nathan, and Joshua Burrill; and Ben Burrill, as well as her sister Judith (Harold) Bartman – and in-laws, nieces, nephew and cousins.

Margaret Ann was born in Gore in the Eastern Townships of Quebec on July 13, 1937. As a child on the farm, she loved animals and the outdoors. She graduated from St. Francis High School, subsequently training to become an x-ray technician in Sherbrooke. She met Alfred in Grade 3, and they developed a friendship that became a marriage on March 31, 1961. They lived in Montreal until 1965 where Margaret Ann worked at the Neurological Institute in x-ray. The next stop was Brockville where Andrea was born, then Kingston, Ontario, where Ruth, Philip and David were born. In 1975, the family migrated west, stopping first in Saskatchewan. It was in Saskatchewan, that Margaret Ann began her adventures in spinning and weaving. She would card then spin raw wool. Said wool was often brewing in a plant dye pot on the stove when we came home from school. For many years, a floor loom dominated the living room, and many different woven items were produced – most notably her blankets.

Margaret Ann and Alfred finally settled in Alberta in 1982. Margaret Ann created gardens wherever the family was living, both vegetable and flower. Horticulture was a passion. She often rued that certain species simply wouldn’t grow in her region, but she would try such plants nonetheless. They were coddled and they grew! In 1984, the family moved to a farm near Mayerthorpe, Alberta. Soon after, her sons were part of the 4-H Livestock Club and two heifers, Betsy and Beulah, become the mothers of a herd that grew over the years. The cows were known more by name than by tag number. If any cow was named for a person, that person had significance. One calf delivered by a neighbour turned out to be two calves. They were called Pete and Re-Pete. Another was named John Wayne, not for the movie star but for the vet and farmer who helped deliver the calf. In 2013, Alfred and Margaret Ann left the farm and moved into Barrhead. The back yard of the in-town property was immediately converted to garden space – a trellis, raised beds, berry patches, and flower areas specific to variety (shade-loving vs sun-loving). And, of course, and extensive vegetable patch. Each year, the garden was started under grow lights in the basement as early as February. Young plants were lovingly moved outside, then back inside during early spring when there was still a frost risk. The end result was a garden that yielded fruit, vegetables and beauty until the autumn frosts arrived, which fed both body and soul.

Margaret Ann will be missed but not forgotten. The stories we share will keep her alive for generations to come. A celebration of her life will be held at 1:00 pm on Thursday August 26 at the Rose Garden Chapel.

Please click on the link below to view the service

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