Margaret Evelyn Taws passed away peacefully in her 101st year at Trillium Health Partners – Mississauga Site on August 4, 2022, with her daughters at her side.

She is survived by her daughters Margaret McIntosh (Joseph Nieradka), Leslie Ann (Mark Jeffreys) and her son William Peter Taws (Connie Taws), her grandchildren Richard Nieradka (Amanda), Julia Nieradka (Ben Reeves), Heather Taws (David Collings), Mary Taws (Patrick MacDonald), David Jeffreys (Brittany Slaney) and Christopher Jeffreys. Marg also had 6 great grandchildren, Jakub, Joshua, Evalyn, Leonard, Theodore and Hudson.

Marg was predeceased by her husband Leslie McIntosh Taws, her parents Peder and Olga Maria Westbye, her sisters Mary Gordon and Olga Cutting and her brother Eric Westbye.

Marg was raised in Peterborough, Ontario where she enjoyed music, singing and playing music with her sisters Olga and Mary and excelling in academia, being named head girl in her graduating year of high school. Her fondest memories were of the family cottage at Chemong Lake and the fun she had with family and friends.

Marg enlisted in the Women’s Royal Navy Service (WRENS) at the outbreak of World War II and was stationed in Montreal where she met her husband Les, a Chief Petty Officer, also in the Navy. They married in 1946, living in Montreal, Connecticut, Toronto and finally settling in 1954, in what became Mississauga (Applewood Acres). Marg and Les led an active social life including curling, dancing and get-togethers with neighbours while they raised their three children.

In the early 1960’s Marg decided to attend Lakeshore Teacher’s College, and began her career as a teacher. While teaching full time she also attended night classes at University of Toronto, achieving her BA in 1975.

She was valued and beloved as a teacher/librarian/resource specialist wherever she taught but especially at her last school, Tomken Road Senior Public School, retiring at age 65 in 1986. Marg was also an active participant in the development of her profession, being a member for 47 years of the prestigious international educator’s organization Alpha Delta Kappa (a Sapphire Sister) and holding multiple executive positions in ADK at the local and provincial level.

She is remembered most of all as an upbeat person, who had the remarkable ability to appreciate where she was, what she was doing and what she had at any given moment, and for saying something positive in any circumstance.

Also known for being a feminist before her time, providing love and support for her family and with a healthy scepticism toward those in authority, she could perform a top flight loon imitation and make her patented “monkey face” on demand.

She will be missed by all.

The family would like to extend special thanks and appreciation to Tiberiu Neculai (affectionately known as "Tibi") and all staff at Amica City Centre - Mississauga for the loving care and support received from them over the years and to the Stroke Unit at Trillium Health Partners - Mississauga Site for their kindness during Marg’s last days.

Friends may call at the Turner & Porter "Peel" Chapel, 2180 Hurontario St., Mississauga (Hwy 10 N. of Q.E.W) on Wednesday, August 31, 2022 from 1-4 p.m.

There will be a Celebration of Life held on Thursday, September 1, 2022 from 2-5 p.m. at Amica, 380 Princess Royal Dr., Mississauga, in the lower atrium. Light refreshments will be served. If you are attending this, and respecting the fact that Amica is home for many seniors, please perform a Covid self-test in advance on the same day and bring a picture of the negative result.

In lieu of flowers, donations would be appreciated to the Canadian Alzheimer Association or the Heart and Stroke Foundation. In addition, the family requests, as Marg would have wanted, that we all seek out an opportunity to perform at least one random act of kindness in her memory.

Online condolences may be made at www.turnerporter.ca