MARGARET GUDRUN MACK

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MARGARET GUDRUN MACK Sadly on Thursday, Oct 23, 2014, Margaret Gudrun Mack passed away at the West Park Manor at the age of 100. Left to cherish her memory are her step daughter Marilynne (Paul) in Victoria, granddaughters Krista (Donovan) in Nanaimo, Shawna (Martin) in Kelowna, and Cindy (Martin), Vancouver and four great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. Margaret was predeceased by her husband, Douglas Mack, her parents Gudmundur and Jakobina Breckman, her brothers Joe, Walter, Mundi, George and Slivers, sisters Stina, Bina, Sig, Maria and Thelma and their spouses, nephews Verne Breckman and Bill Breckman and niece Norma Busby. Margaret was born in Lundar on July 14, 1914. After completing her schooling in Lundar, she took grade 12 in Winnipeg and then registered in nursing, graduating from the Misericordia School of Nursing in 1936. She started her nursing career at the Winnipeg General Hospital in the summer of 1937. While visiting her brother Mundi in Oak Point, she delivered her niece Margaret at their home. Margaret moved to the USA in the fall of 1937 as there was no work in Winnipeg. She worked in Ravenna, Ohio and New Rochelle, NY. In Winnipeg in 1941 she applied to the Canadian army and was turned down as there were no vacancies for nurses. She applied to the American Army and was accepted with the rank of Second Lieutenant, as a friendly "alien". She was stationed at several US military bases before she was sent to Hawaii where she served in hospitals in Honolulu and Hilo. Even though Margaret was in Hawaii when Pearl Harbour was attacked, she knew nothing of that event until it was all over and they were called upon to deal with casualties. In 1944 her company was sent to Oahu for field training, where she experienced living in tents, going on long marches, long-distance swimming, carbine training, rifle range practice and using gas masks in preparation for action "Down Under". The trip to Okinawa, on a blacked out ship, lasted 38 days, zigging and zagging to avoid submarines, mines and depth charges. In Okinawa, their hospital, the 75th Station, consisted of tents mounted on wood frames. The beds were cots so it was impossible to make the patients comfortable. There she worked in the neuro-surgical unit looking after soldiers wounded in the battles. They were under enemy fire all the time and heard Japanese planes flying overhead at night. During air raids they sought refuge in bunkers. When the fighting stopped the bad weather came a typhoon with 250 km an hour winds; two hurricanes in a very short time all while staying in tents. Margaret was in Okinawa when the Hiroshima bomb was dropped, but with limited access to news, knew nothing about it and thankfully was not close enough to suffer any side effects. She was also there when the German army collapsed. She returned to Canada shortly after the war ended in 1945. In 1946 Margaret went to the University of Manitoba under the U.S. Army Student Grants Program, receiving her Public Health Diploma in 1948. From 1948 - 1951 she worked as a Public Health Nurse at the Children's Aid Society. While working there she met Douglas W. Mack. They married November 19, 1955 in Edmonton, where she worked for the Edmonton School Board as a School Nurse. In 1961 Margaret and Doug moved to Abbotsford, BC. where she was employed as a Public Health Nurse. In 1962 they were transferred to Prince George, where Margaret worked as a Public Health Nurse at the Health Unit. Another transfer in 1966 took them to Victoria, BC. where they retired in 1978. Margaret and Doug stayed in Victoria enjoying their retirement years golfing, playing tennis, visiting family in Manitoba and Thunder Bay with many other trips to exotic places. Margaret remained in Victoria after Doug's death until she moved back to Winnipeg in 2002. She resided in The Wellington until she moved to West Park Manor in 2012. Margaret had a keen interest in education. Through the Canada Iceland Foundation she funded three annual scholarships for needy students of good scholastic ability who were enrolled at the University of Manitoba. She also funded a scholarship at the University of Alberta to honour her husband. Margaret loved bridge and as an aggressive and effective player she was always in pursuit of a grand slam. She also enjoyed symphony and opera and was a frequent attendee in Winnipeg. She also participated in music related tours to New York, Toronto and London. A highlight was attendance at an opera at the famous Sydney Opera House. The family extends special thanks to the staff at West Park Manor and to the Personal Care Workers who gave such good quality care to Margaret. Their compassion and concern that was always evident. Margaret wanted to be cremated and not to have a service but to be remembered with a plaque placed on her sister Sigurlaug's grave. In accordance with her wishes family and close friends will hold a celebration of Margaret's life at the Wellington, 3161 Grant at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 4, 2014. Donations may be made in Margaret's memory to the Margaret Breckman Mack Scholarship fund through Tim Samson at the Canada Iceland Foundation at 204-284-5686. NEIL BARDAL FUNERAL CENTRE 204-949-2200 neilbardalinc.com
Publish Date: Nov 1, 2014

MARGARET GUDRUN MACK On Thursday, October 23, 2014 at the West Park Manor, Margaret Gudrun Mack, widow of the late Douglas William Mack, passed away at the age of 100 years. Longer obituary will follow in Saturday's paper. NEIL BARDAL FUNERAL CENTRE 204-949-2200 neilbardalinc.com
Publish Date: Oct 27, 2014

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Nov 01, 2014