2017
Obituary Overview
Margaret Eileen Munhall
Margaret Eileen Munhall (nee Culhane) passed away at Providence Manor in Kingston on December 14, 2017 at the age of 88. As she declined in recent years it was helpful to remember what a vibrant, strong woman she was. The picture above on the left shows her happy as a beautiful young mother with her son Chris. The picture on the right shows her with her husband George, the love of her life. Margaret was a remarkable mother and grandmother whose unwavering support for her family and enthusiasm for their interests and dreams were immense.
Margaret was born on a farm in Admaston Township in Renfrew County on August 28, 1929. She was the third of three children to Leonard Culhane and Clara Quilty. Her mother’s poor health meant that she never really knew her and she was raised by a beloved aunt, Veronica. After finishing high school in Renfrew, she became the teacher of the one-room schoolhouse in Admaston, the same school that she had attended. In that winter she skied from her farm to the schoolhouse. This experience of working with young children had a big impact on her and she returned to teaching many times in her life. Margaret also worked in offices in Renfrew but came home to help her father take care of the farm. Then in 1949, her life changed when her friend Ann’s older brother, George Munhall, returned for the summer from the logging camps in B.C. George was working in the fields with his brothers when lightening struck their house causing a fire that burned everything including George’s return ticket to B.C. George and Margaret married in October 1950 beginning their long life together, travelling to locations in Ontario where George worked for Ontario Hydro: Mattawa, Niagara Falls, Manitou Falls, Silver Falls, Thunder Bay, Douglas Point, Little Long Rapids, Pickering. Their sons were born in Mattawa (Christopher) and Niagara Falls (Kevin). Christopher’s death in 1962 in Kincardine of chronic kidney disease was a lifelong sadness for the family. When the family moved to Pickering in 1966, they bought their first home and soon Margaret returned to teaching at Aldon School in Ajax for children with special needs. She taught there and in Whitby and her final teaching job was advocating for children with special needs to the Diocese to enable their full participation in their family’s religious life. This last job illustrated well her strength of will and her devotion to children with mental disabilities and their families.
Throughout her life, Margaret was a passionate individual who conquered tragedy and encouraged others to see the best in life and the best in each other. She was a 60+ year survivor of breast cancer. She was a community activist who was awarded the community service award from the town of Ajax in 2004. She was an advocate for people with mental disabilities and their families and a founding member of the Ajax-Pickering Osteoporosis Support Group.
When George died in 2006, she lost her best friend and her health began to decline. The loss of her mobility to Parkinson’s disease in her last few years was a great challenge. Through it all, she still was engaged in her family’s life and each visit involved a recounting of what each person was up to. Margaret and George were always loyal to their extended family and their large Thanksgivings dinners for the uncles, aunts, cousins and their children at the Ashdad schoolhouse are a fixture in all of our memories. She is survived by her son Kevin (Pam), three grandchildren Brendan, Claire, and Conor (Summer) and one great grandchild, Jacob. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to the Kidney Foundation of Canada (www.kidney.ca/ways-to-donate).

Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Margaret Eileen Munhall 2017.source

Death notice for the town of: Kingston, Province: Ontario

death notice Margaret Eileen Munhall 2017- mortuary notice Margaret Eileen Munhall 2017