Obituary of Marjorie Christina Isabela Pitchford

Marjorie Christina IsabelaPitchford died with grace and dignity, on the 29th August 2012 at Misericordia Place in Winnipeg. Despite bouts of ill health during her eighties, she still possessed an infinite capacity to enjoy life and found much pleasure in phone calls and visits by family, outdoor times in the courtyard and views from her window of nature. Marjorie was born in Montreal on July 26, 1924 to Alvah French and Christina Cormier. As an infant she moved to her mother’s home town of Moncton, New Brunswick, and remained there until 1954 when she returned to Montreal. Her mother was Acadian and her father American, but Marjorie always maintained that she should have been Spanish as she preferred Hispanic music. She had a real sense of style and drama, and enjoyed working in fashion in the 1940s - when she had the opportunity to do some modelling. Her creative skills were also used to make her own clothing and those of her family as well. This talent kept her looking smart throughout her life. She was married at 18, to Reginald Albert Pitchford (a young RAF serviceman stationed in New Brunswick), Marjorie thought it was a great adventure to travel to England on a troop ship sailing in convoy and dropping depth charges to keep the enemy submarines at bay. She loved her English in-laws and lived near them in Shropshire and nearby counties for several years during the blitz. She always claimed that her memories - of these times and others - kept her alive and energized. After the war, she returned to Canada giving birth to two daughters (Angela and Leslie) in Moncton. She loved her family life, and enjoyed motherhood. She had a passion for education and was always there for her girls, encouraging them to be independent, and to develop professional lives as she felt this was missing in her own life. The family moved to Winnipeg in 1960 where she fell in love with the city and its sunny skies immediately. Later in life, Marjorie travelled extensively making many new friends. On a trip to visit a cousin in Florida, she met Charles, whom she later referred to as ‘my southern gentleman’. They shared many interests and frequently travelled together. Over the next two decades she became a ‘Canadian Snowbird’, wintering in Florida with Charles each year, only returning to Winnipeg for ‘spring and taxes’. She was with Charles when he died in 2001. Marjorie made one final trip to Florida after that, but said it just wasn’t the same without him. She missed him greatly. Marjorie is survived by daughters Angela and Leslie, and by her grandchildren Simon, Alastair, Larissa and Amanda. Her dearest wish was for her ashes to be taken to New Brunswick and to be laid to rest next to her mother Christina. A funeral service will be held at 10am on Friday 21st June 2013 at St Bernard’s Church in Moncton, New Brunswick. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Tuttle Brothers Funeral Home, tuttlefuneralhome.ca Service Information Friday, June 21, 2013