Obituary of Margaret "Peggy" Christine Reid McKenna

Margaret McKenna, Veteran of WWII Margaret was born in Norton, on May 21st, 1920 in the home formerly known as the Hatfield House, she was the daughter of Ivan William Reid who was born in Clintondale, New York on February 17 1897, and Gladys Rebekah Allaby who was born in Salt Springs, NB on April 13, 1900. As a child, Margaret worked on the family farm before and after school. She would much rather have stayed home and milked cows than go to school, but that certainly was not an option. She attended Bloomfield School from grades one to eight and continued her education at Norton High School, graduating in 1938. Margaret then attended Modern Business College in Saint John where she took a General Office Management course and for a short time was an employee of the T.E. Eaton Company. In 1941, Margaret joined the Canadian Women’s Army Corps, Military District #7 as a clerk typist. She was initially posted to Saint John and later to Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC. On August 27th, 1942, Margaret was one of nine women chosen to go overseas to work in Canada House in London, England with the Appointment, Promotion and Retirement of Canadian Officers (A.P.R.). After two years, Margaret relocated to Aalst, Belgium with the 21st Army Group. She worked in the Public Archives Department, where she kept very accurate records of the Canadian Soldiers in Action. She toured several cities before being posted to Lengo, Germany where she remained until her discharge in 1945. Margaret then returned home to the farm she loved, taking some time to reconnect with her family. The following year, September 1946, she helped set up a military library at the Kings County Memorial Hospital. She also volunteered her time as a liaison between the Town of Sussex and the more than 100 military patients, running errands for them and attending to their personal needs. This position later became a full time job for Margaret. One day her work took her to the Kings County Record. In the doorway was J. Louis McKenna. He later told a co-worker that she was the girl he was going to marry. They were married on February 12, 1947. The couple had four daughters: Susan, Jane, Louise and Mary. They lived in Sussex and spent summers in St. Martins. Margaret was a member of Trinity Anglican Church, where she taught Sunday school and was an active member of the ACW. Throughout her life Margaret volunteered in many activities: music festivals, coffee houses, Meals on Wheels, and IODE, to name a few. She was also a Charter Member and sat on the Board of Directors of Theatre New Brunswick. Margaret loved to go for long walks on the beach, enjoyed travelling, reading and the Arts, and in her day, danced over a million miles! Margaret had a natural curiosity in the people she met and took a great interest in politics and the world around her. She had a long productive life and touched the lives of many in her journey through life. Margaret will remain in the hearts of her daughters: Susan McKenna of Quispamsis, Jane Flewwelling of Quispamsis, Louise McKenna and her husband David Harris of Gillis Lake, Cape Breton and Mary McKenna and Charles McAllister of Fredericton; her grandchildren: Sarah Richards and her husband David Seely of Rothesay, Claire Richards and her husband Chris Tudor of Calgary, Eric deKruyff and his wife Shannyn of Calgary, Ellen deKruyff and her husband Eden Cummings of Quispamsis, Patrick deKruyff and his wife Lorena of Newmarket, ON, Andrew Harris of Doha Qatar, Kathleen Breau and her husband James Gledhill of Rothesay, Margaret Breau and Steven Freitas of Gatineau, PQ and Louise Breau and Jonathon Autunes of Toronto; her great grandchildren: Brennan and Emma Seely, Madeline, Rachel and Hailey Tudor, Addison, Grayson, and Tessa, deKruyff and Eleanor and Jeremy Gledhill; two sisters: Muriel Tucker and her husband Charles of Hampton and Susan Sharpe and Dawn, Calgary AB; three brothers: Ian Reid and his wife Betty of Nepean, ON, Jamie Reid and his wife Edith of Fredericton, and Peter Reid and his wife Lillas of Norton; her half sister Alberta Jamer and her husband Murray of Fredericton and her half brother William Reid of Alberta. Mrs. Margaret “Peggy” Christine Reid McKenna passed away peacefully in her bed on June 21, 2015 at the age of 95. She is predeceased by her husband Louis on February 19th, 1976; her parents; step-mother, Maude Reid; three sisters: Mary Hazel Reid, Betty Brown, and Nancy Waters; two brothers: Edwin Reid and Robert Reid; and by her grandson, Jeremy Harris. Arrangements have been entrusted to the compassionate care of Wallace Funeral Home, 34 Sunnyside Drive, Sussex, (506-433-1176) where visitation will be held on Thursday evening from 6-8. A service celebrating Margaret’s Life will be held from Trinity Anglican Church on Friday morning at 10:00 followed by an opportunity to visit with the family in the church hall. A private family interment will take place at Kirk Hill Cemetery. The family of Margaret McKenna wishes to say thank you to: the medical professionals, including Extra Mural, her home care workers, Veterans' Affairs, Anglican Church Staff, as well as neighbors and friends who have been so kind and helpful to our mother over the years. For those who wish, remembrances made to The Heart and Stroke Foundation of New Brunswick would be appreciated.