Burlington crash victim Maureen Magas deeply mourned
BURLINGTON — The last time Tracy Holmes saw Maureen Magas the two were parting, with a hug, following an annual “play day” party at the former’s home.
The longtime accounting colleagues have gotten together one day every summer, along with several other co-workers who are accountants, to celebrate the end of the gruelling tax-filing season.
Just two days after that fun time, Holmes received a phone call from one of Magas’ sons and was told that her friend of 20 years had been killed in a traffic accident in Burlington on the morning of July 14.
Magas, 58, was killed when a vehicle being driven erratically on Fairview Street crossed over into the oncoming lanes, jumped the curb, struck a 19-year-old man, injuring him severely, and then hit Magas around 10 a.m. last Saturday.
“A sweeter, kinder, more thoughtful, caring person you can never find,” says Holmes, friend and co-worker of Magas.
The driver’s vehicle came to rest a short distance later on the sidewalk in front of the former Chaps restaurant, located just east of Woodview Road on the north side. The 73-year-old driver was taken to hospital.
Halton regional police says it’s possible the driver had a medical crisis, but that has not yet been confirmed. No other information has so far been released by investigators.
What makes the death of Magas even sadder, said Holmes, is that her friend normally wouldn’t have been in a position to be hit by a wayward car.
“She should have been plugging away at a desk,” said Holmes, head of the Precision Accounting firm in Dundas.
She said Magas, who was doing some bookkeeping work at Bathroom and Kitchen Galleries at the time, was helping the business out by installing advertising lawn signs near the sidewalk when she was run down.
“We are a very close-knit, tight office.
“During tax time we can be together seven days a week. There are quite a few people having a hard time,” Holmes said, noting Magas’ funeral on Thursday was attended by an overflow crowd.
Born Maureen Greer in Hamilton, she grew up in Burlington and attended M.M. Robinson High School. She attended Sheridan College for accounting.
Co-workers, friends and family are planning a candlelight vigil at the accident site on Fairview Street, where a memorial has been erected, on Tuesday, at 9 p.m.
On Wednesday, at 7 p.m. a memorial talk will be given at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses at 4025 Mainway Dr., in the West Auditorium. All are welcome to attend.