BRIEN (Snailum), Margaret "Anne"

A war bride, animal enthusiast and accomplished mother/grandmother/greatgrandmother sadly died on Sunday, February 14, 2021 in Halifax. Anne was born on April 2, 1926 to George Fredrick and Constance Fanny (Evans), and an older sister Janet, in Trowbridge, a smalltown west of London, England. Anne remembered her childhood vividly and recounted it with great detail and happiness, often mentioning the family garden and her fondness for her grandmother. Anne first worked at Lloyds Bank of London than joined the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRENS) at 18. She met her husband, Canadian army Private Edward Morgan Brien ("Ted"), becoming a war bride and moving to Toronto. To the end of her days, Anne’s accent and loyalty to all things British remained: although slightly morphed from over 70 years in Canada. Becoming a mother is where Anne really came into her own. She had Deborah Anne in 1955 and John Frederick 18 months later. She raised the kids, did the housework and made the meals, all while working as a bank teller at Royal Trust in Humbertown Plaza. She was thrilled when her kids got married, Debbie to Ray Ritcey in 1981 and John to Marie-pierre Larose in 2012. Anne was extremely resilient when her husband Ted died in 1992, continuing to live on her own for the rest of her life in Toronto and Halifax. Anne often said that the best time of her life was when she became a grandmother to her grandchildren, Gillian Anne and David Brien Ritcey. She stopped working when David was 18 months old so that she could help take care of her grandkids and moved to Halifax in 2006 to be with them. She was always around. Always. She was there every day with her dog Nugget, attended every sports game, dance recital and graduation, and friends knew her so well they also called her "Nana." From the beginning, Nana has been the number one advocate and support system for her grandchildren. She was so proud when David and Nicole Roy brought Chloe Mackenzie Anne Ritcey into this world in October 2019 and had the chance to Facetime with her and to finally meet and hold her great-granddaughter in February 2020. Those who knew Nana relished in her authenticity. She was introverted, sassy and funny without knowing it. She was, is and always will be her family’s biggest cheerleader. The love and lessons she instilled continue on through them. When you had a headache, heartache, or just had a bad day, Nana would always say "Don’t worry. Everything will be okay. Have a cookie". A private family gathering will be held at a later date. Donations may be made to a charity of your choice.