SUNDAY, June 25, 2017

HETHERINGTON, Margaret

(nee Dent)

Margaret (Peggy) Hetherington, born December 31, 1919 passed away quietly at the age of 97 at Eau Claire Retirement Residence on June 21, 2017.Born in Stockton on Tees, England, Mom used to tell the story of heading to the air-raid shelter in the middle of the night during WW II with her little brother in tow. She also spoke of how her older brother was injured and rescued by a fishing boat at Dunkirk. During the war, she met and later married her best friend’s cousin Arthur, a Canadian soldier from Claresholm, Alberta. She met Arthur on a blind date in Stockton on Tees, England. Dad always claimed it was love at first site and it did last forever. They were always together. Mom loved to sing and had a reputation as a great bridge player. She was also known for her exceptional beauty and intelligence. In a crisis, she always knew just when to say, “We are going North.”While still in England, she worked in the office of Industrial Chemical Company, her savings helped buy their first little house in Taber.Mom loved to talk about the stock market and investments with her family and always had her own bank accounts. Her most sound advice, ” pay the mortgage off and the rest is easy;” which she herself did with her Canada Savings Bonds. She always believed in real estate. Mom was ahead of her time in many ways. Being born and growing up in Northern England during the war, she was a real saver. Mom would rather have the money than a new dress. She kept her shoes “for good” until they were out of style (unlike her daughters).Growing up we always had a garden; lots of healthy food and nothing went to waste. We had swimming lessons, figure skating lessons and my brother played hockey. We all drove the family car around town by age 16 and Mom & Dad helped us into our first cars.Family gatherings were cherished, Christmas and Easter our family was always together. My brother would fly home at Christmas no matter where he was in the world.Dad worked for Alberta Gov’t Telephones and the family was transferred around Alberta to Calgary, Taber and Fort Macleod ending his career in Edmonton at head office. They always bought and built and fixed up at least one house in every location they lived. Mom had a real knack with decorating. While the family lived in Sherwood Park, Mom and Dad bought a quarter section of land and built “The Cabin” at Long Lake. Many happy weekends were spent there winter and summer. Mom and Dad retired to Redwood Meadows near Bragg Creek to be closer to family and became members of the Seniors Association there. Many happy days were spent together with family and friends. Their final years together were spent at Signatures Villas in Calgary.Mom left a true legacy, a life well lived.Mom was predeceased by her husband Arthur Hetherington, son Robert Hetherington, son in law Edward (Teddy) Keys and brother Joseph Dent, England.She is survived by her daughters Elizabeth Ann Falk and Patricia Keys (Bob), her granddaughter Heather Cameron (Scott), great granddaughters Elizabeth and Kathryn Cameron, all from Calgary, grandsons Ryan Keys (Chantal) of Calgary, Michael (Kate) Keys of Mexico and her sister in law Peggy Markle from Claresholm. Thank you to Dr. Davies and Mom’s nurses and the kind staff on the 4th floor of Eau Claire Retirement Residence for all their help with Mom. A private service will be held at a later date.