PARKER AVENUE MATRIARCH LEAVES A LEGACY OF LOVE
Mrs. Margaret Smith was a kind, warm and generous soul to all who met her. She lived a vibrant life filled with gratitude that was felt by her friends and family. Now, through her passing, this gratitude will be felt by the thousands of Island children and families who will benefit from a generous gift Margaret left in her will to the Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island.
Having lived a life committed to honouring friendship and connection with loved ones, Margaret understood the importance of caring for those around her. After the war, she met Squadron Leader Donald Blair Smith, RCAF, a lawyer who practised in Vancouver. They married in Ottawa in 1946, and in 1955, relocated to Cordova Bay where they lived together until their final moments. Always generous, they welcomed and entertained a steady flow of out-of-town guests and family in their home. Not only was Margaret the matriarch to her family, but also to her Parker Avenue neighbourhood where her passion for gardening and friendship bloomed beautifully.
Margaret kept an incredibly close friendship with Mrs. Annie Huus, who was and continues to be a passionate advocate for the health and well-being of children living with physical disabilities.
Almost three decades have passed since Annie lost her 20year-old daughter, Lisa, to infantile muscular atrophy – a rare condition associated with muscular dystrophy. After Lisa’s passing, the Huus Family created a memorial fund at Children’s Health Foundation to support students just like Lisa, who are pursuing a post-secondary education while living with a physical disability. Annie remembers fondly how much “Margaret loved Lisa’s spirit and fierce determination to obtain a post-secondary education. Her gift to the Huus Memorial Fund will help thousands of students, just like my Lisa, and I am so grateful.”
In Margaret’s final days, just before her 100th birthday, she repeatedly exclaimed, “I’m very blessed, thank you, thank you, thank you!” It was easy for her to be grateful when she shared a life lived so fully, with love and generous giving. Margaret believed in standing up for those in her life who faced hardship and struggle. She never backed down and was always there.