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KULCHYCKYJ, Margaret Ann “Margie” (née Tompkins)
Passed away peacefully with her family by her side on Saturday February 4th, 2023, at 93 years of age. Beloved wife of the late Jerry for 49 years. Cherished mother of her son John, and his wife Laura. Loving Step-Grandma to David Patton (Laurence). Margaret will be sadly missed by her entire family and many dear friends. Margaret was a wonderful elementary teacher and enjoyed spending time with her family and friends, and in her garden.
This is the end of a wonderful era, with Margaret’s passing, and yet we choose to celebrate the love she gave, as well as the love she received from her family, friends, and students.
Margaret was born in her family home, on their large farm, in Margaree Forks, Cape Breton, N.S. on July 20th, 1929. Her parents were Michael “Mike, Jack, Nick” Tompkins and Virginia (nee Doyle) Tompkins. Margaret had five older brothers, who adored her: Bernard (Johanna & Gladys), Patrick (Theresa, Stella & Rosie), Laffin (Patricia), Chrys (Pauline) and Richard. Her brothers had a total of twenty-nine children, and stepchildren, whom Margaret lovingly cherished and spent quality time with each one, to create a very special bond, that later carried through to their own children. Margaret was also a loving and supportive Godmother to fourteen others.
Margaret attended Margaree Forks H.S. and then Margaret took a Gap year, helping with the Farm and their rental Cabins, in which she enjoyed the opportunity to spend this extra time with her parents. Then she went to Provincial Normal College in Truro, N.S. and two summers at Dalhousie University, Teacher Summer School, to complete her certificate.
Margaret was an elementary teacher for over 32 years and in that time, she taught in three Provinces, NS, AB, and mainly ON. Her first position was in Ferguson’s Cove, NS, for two years, where she was the only teacher, in a one room schoolhouse, teaching five grades, all at once. However, her first task, with the help of the students’ parents, was to paint the walls and varnish the floor, as a student had let the fire extinguisher go off, before her arrival. When Margaret arrived in Hamilton in 1957, to teach, she wanted to keep her independence and was determined to make a go of it on her own, by declining her brother Chrys’s offer to live with his family. However, this was short lived, as the first night at her new Rooming house, was a shock, as she went to take a bath and when she looked in the bathtub it was full of pickles. She asked the owners what was going on and they said ”We’re making 9-day pickles!” Margaret packed up and moved in with Chrys’s family for a year. Later in Hamilton, after she married Jerry, she taught at Holy Spirit Ukrainian School, where she taught her son John, in her Kindergarten class.
Margaret married Jaroslaw “Jerry” Sloka Kulchyckyj (born June 3rd, 1925, in Konuishki, Ukraine and he passed September 10th, 2009, in Hamilton). They were married July 2nd, 1960, at Holy Spirit Ukrainian Catholic Church in Hamilton, and honeymooned at her parents’ home, on their farm, in Margaree Forks. Later Margaret and Jerry had a son, John, whom they adored.
Margaret was a long-time member of the RWTO – Retired Women Teachers of Ontario, and RTO – The Retired Teachers of Ontario and CWL – Catholic Women’s League, where she was instrumental in assisting with many Charity drives, as well as a long-time member of the “Quilting Queens” at Corpus Christi Church.
Some of the highlights in her life: In 1956 Margaret traveled through Europe and her highlights were meeting Pope Pius the 12th, and later visiting Lourdes, France.
When Margaret was first starting out as a teacher, she also sold “World Books” Encyclopedia’s, and within 6 months, her sales were the 9th highest in the province.
Margaret met Jerry, when she visited a friend from back home, Joe MacDonald who was renting a flat from Jerry. After their introduction, Jerry called Margaret and asked her to go to a local dance with him, that would have more people from down home, and she couldn’t resist.
Margaret and Jerry’s home was dubbed the “Do Drop In”, as they had an Open House mentality, where everyone and anyone was welcome at any time, for a coffee, tea, or a hair of the dog, and of course something freshly baked and sweet, was always on hand, as Margaret had quite a sweet tooth. Margaret and Jerry hosted many great parties and took in some of their relatives and friends, in need.
During the last five years, Margaret enjoyed her evenings with John and Laura, after dinner, they always played Yahtzee, and then did their evening prayers together. There was a lot of laughter and love spread around these evenings.
In past Margaret primarily attended three Catholic churches (Corpus Christi Church, Ukrainian Church of the Resurrection and St. Patrick’s Parish of Hamilton) and supported all of them by being on their committees, such as Treasurer, and other charitable contributions. Margaret enjoyed making authentic Ukrainian Perogies and Cabbage Rolls with the other CWL members, for their fund raisers. But Margaret was most proud of her continuous, hard work and dedication to the “Ukrainian Orphans in Need”, where she raised funds and medical supplies, etc., to be sent to the Ukraine.
A special thank you to the Staff on the Bishop Dowling 4th floor, at St. Joseph’s Hospital. A huge thank you to the “Angel’s” PSW’s Anna Maria and Monique, and to her Nurse, Raman, from Bayshore, along with her wonderful Doctor, Dr. Stephanie Nantes, for their care and compassion during Margaret’s time in Palliative care, in her home, as John and Laura could not have done it without your wonderful assistance and support. We would also like to thank everyone that came by to visit Margaret, the lovely flowers, that filled her room, and all her callers, especially her nephew Paul Tompkins, and her nieces, Thelma Tompkins, and Joanne Matheson.
Visitation at the P.X. DERMODY FUNERAL HOME, 7 East Ave. S. on Sunday, February 12, from 1 to 5 p.m. A Funeral Mass will be offered at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 440 King St. E. at Victoria Ave. on Monday, February 13, at 10 a.m. Following the Mass there will be a reception, with refreshments at the funeral home on East Ave. Interment at Resurrection Cemetery Ancaster at 2 p.m. If you so desire, donations to the Ukrainian War efforts, through the Canadian Red Cross or any other Ukrainian Charity, would be appreciated by the family. Online condolences can be made at www.dermodys.com.
Saturday February 4th 2023
Death notice for the town of: HAMILTON, Province: Ontario
death notice Margaret Ann Margie Kulchyckyj Tompkins Saturday February 4th 2023
obituaries notice Margaret Ann Margie Kulchyckyj Tompkins Saturday February 4th 2023
We offer our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Margaret Ann Margie Kulchyckyj Tompkins Saturday February 4th 2023 and hope that their memory may be a source of comfort during this difficult time. Your thoughts and kind words are greatly appreciated.
