Marjorie Loretta Hales

With great sadness the Hales family announces the passing of our mom, Marj. She died peacefully on April 13, 2021.

She was a much-loved wife, daughter, sister, mom, grandmother, niece, sister-in-law and Auntie Marj to many nieces and nephews. Although the family is heartbroken that she is gone, we are relieved that her suffering from living with mixed dementia has finally come to an end. She was loving, intelligent, creative and tenacious. Mom was, without failure, the first person to assist any family member in need of help. She was the backbone and unpaid C.E.O. of our family.

We take comfort in knowing that mom was welcomed by family members who have been waiting for her to join them: husband Bob (d.2016), parents Winnifred and Joseph, brother Clark, Auntie Stella, niece Terry and many others who have passed before her.

Born in Drumheller Alberta, mom was the eldest of three children. She was only nine years old when her dad died. As the eldest, she became responsible for raising her two younger siblings. Over the years, both of her siblings expressed how grateful they were that she had taken on the role of their second mother. In spite of her responsibilities at home, she excelled at school, worked for Alberta Government Telephones during her high school years and even made time for a social life. She was very close to her mother Win, her favourite sister and lifelong friend, Bev, her brother Clark (whom she adored) and her sister-in-law Phyllis.

Mom married our dad, Bob, in 1957. They were married for 59 years and had three daughters: Karen, Cheryl and Kim. As our mom, she made sure that we had everything we needed and much more. Mom and dad also had four grandchildren that they loved and adored: Nadina, Nicole, Melissa and Daniel. Mom shared a unique bond with each of her grandchildren and spoiled them rotten. Anyone who knew mom and dad might have thought of them as the true meaning of 'opposites attract.' As their children and grandchildren, we knew them as a team. They supported each other, even when they disagreed with each other. Above all, they valued their family and taught us the meaning of unconditional love. It is hard to express how incredibly lucky we were to have had such fabulous parents and grandparents.

Mom had multiple interests. Never one to sit idle (unless she was reading), she was always working on a project or two. She was a talented seamstress who also enjoyed knitting and crocheting. She created beautiful gardens at the family home in Burnaby and could make a meal out of anything. Mom worked numerous elections for Elections B.C. and was actively involved with B.C. politics. She loved to go camping and was happiest at Mara Lake with her brother Clark and his family, her mother Win, and her "fourth" daughter Denise.

Because mom was absolutely crazy about Christmas, she spent months preparing Christmas baking, listening to Christmas music, decorating the home, shopping and exquisitely wrapping a multitude of presents. Our family enjoyed many laughter-filled celebrations because of mom. We treasure those memories!

Mom was also an enthusiastic sports fan with a competitive streak. She was a lifelong ten pin bowler at Brentwood Lanes and amassed a collection of bowling trophies. Mom could often be heard cheering while watching sports on television; we knew where to find her when the Olympics were on. Her favourite sport was swimming. She was involved with the formation of the Hyack Swim Club and was one of their first Presidents. She was a swim coach at C.G. Brown pool and relished the time when she was a coach.

Mom never forgot her prairie roots. She was very friendly and loved to talk. She spent countless hours on the telephone with her mom Win and her sister Bev. We have sorely missed hearing her voice and being able to chat with her over the past few years.

The family would like to extend their sincere appreciation to all of the caring staff on 1 West at Belvedere Care Centre where mom lived for five years. We will never forget your dedication to ensuring all of our mom's care needs were met and how you supported the family throughout her lengthy stay.

Mom, we thank you for everything you did for all of us. We know we were a handful at times (including dad!). We love you. We miss you. Until we meet again.

Due to Covid-19 a Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.