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Margaret Edyta Watson of Manning, Alberta passed away on Saturday, December 2, 2023 in long-term care at the Manning Community Health Centre. She was 88 years old.
Margaret was born on April 3, 1935 to Anton and Antonina Zaychkowski on their farm near Deadwood, Alberta, the second of four daughters. Margaret’s first language was Ukrainian, and she learned to speak English while attending the Woodburn School. She excelled in school, and after finishing high school early in Manning, she worked at a local bank.
When she was a teenager, Margaret met John Watson from Deadwood. His family’s farm was centrally located, and included a swimming hole where young people in the community gathered. John completed an agricultural program at Fairview College, and they married on August 11, 1953 and set up a home in Deadwood. Their four children, Gail, Debora, Elaine, and Edwin were born while at their first house, and they moved once in the mid-1960s to another house a mile away. In addition to helping John manage the farm, Margaret also assisted him with driving a school bus route for 28 years.
Margaret enjoyed frequent family gatherings. Her sisters’ families got together on Christmas Eve (with traditional Ukrainian/Polish food and kutya), at Easter, for their parents’ birthdays in the fall, and they made summer excursions to the Whitemud River. She and John visited distant family when they could. Travel included: Tsuniah Lake Lodge in central BC; Nanaimo and Vancouver, BC; Yellowknife, NT; Prince Albert, SK; Fredericton, NB; Ottawa, ON; Dawson City, YT; and Oklahoma and New Mexico.
She found joy in being a grandmother. Jason, the eldest grandchild, shared that, “Grandma was caring and giving. She was patient. She was a dream grandmother in every way. She would always let us help. We never felt like we were in the way. Wonderful cook. She always made the best food. Gatherings at her home were warm and inviting.” Another grandchild, Holly, echoed these sentiments: “She was a loving grandmother who encouraged fun and adventure. She definitely spoiled her grandchildren. She always had stories to tell and delicious food to eat, whether it be her broken glass dessert, cabbage rolls or her famous mushroom gravy.”
Margaret had many social and creative pursuits. Her interests included decorating wedding cakes, quilting, crocheting, square dancing, curling, and making porcelain dolls. Each year she and John planted a huge vegetable garden, and she especially liked to grow flowers. She enjoyed wild berry picking excursions with her sister’s families.
In later years, Margaret and John commuted to Manning to run a Gulf/Petro-Canada bulk fuel station from 1980 to 1987. John was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 1987, requiring them to discontinue the Petro-Canada business, and eventually sell the farm. They moved to Manning in 1994.
After moving to Manning, Margaret continued growing a large garden. She moved into the DelAir Lodge retirement home in 2007. At the Lodge, she enjoyed the social interactions, and she kept her mind sharp doing puzzles. In March 2023, she moved into Long Term Care at the Manning Community Health Centre.
Margaret was preceded in death by: her husband John who died in 2010; her parents Anton and Antonina; her sisters Olga Karlson and Elsie Patmore; her son-in-law Doug Read; and numerous relatives and in-laws.
Margaret is survived by: Daughters Gail Watson Read of Duncan, BC, Deb Plummer (Brent) of St. Albert, AB, and Elaine of Boise, ID, as well as Son Edwin (Donnelle) of Calgary, AB; Grandchildren Jason Plummer (Alisha) of St. Albert, AB, Holly Sinclair (Matt) of St. Albert, AB, Chad Read of Duncan, BC, Riley Read of Duncan, BC, Cal Read of Whitehorse, YT, Piper Watson of Calgary, AB, and Grey Watson of Calgary, AB; Great-Grandchildren Story and Mission Plummer of St. Albert, AB, Jett and Shiloh Sinclair of St. Albert, AB; Her sister Wanda Kosiorek of Manning, AB; and many nieces, nephews, and in-laws.
A memorial will be held at a later date.
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2023
Chapel of Memories Funeral Homes & Crematorium
Death notice for the town of: Fairview, Province: Alberta
death notice Margaret Watson 2023
obituaries notice Margaret Watson 2023
We offer our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Margaret Watson 2023 and hope that their memory may be a source of comfort during this difficult time. Your thoughts and kind words are greatly appreciated.
