In Celebration of

Marguerite Evelyn Beeching

May 7, 1930 -  June 25, 2020

With sadness, we announce that Marguerite Evelyn Beeching died peacefully with her sister Lillian by her side on June 25, 2020 in her 91st year, following a long illness.

Best known as Margaret or Meg, she is predeceased by her devoted second husband Peter Beeching.

Born in Paris, France to dearly missed Frank and Gabrielle Coakley, she witnessed incredible changes to her world from having lived through WW2. Margaret initially attended school in France and later in England where she quickly became fluent in English. Margaret also lived in Denmark with her family prior to emigrating to Canada in 1953.

Margaret was an outstanding cook and accomplished at tapestry. Meg was very well-travelled having spent much of her life in Europe and Canada. She also lived in the USA and the Middle East. Her favourite place remained Nice, France.

Margaret is survived by her children Matthew McDermott-Fox and Michele McDermott-Fox, her grandson David Lewis, and beloved sister and husband Lillian and Geoffrey Hofstatter

Margaret will be greatly missed by her niece Patricia Franks, her nephews Michael, Christopher, and Pierre Hofstatter, their spouses and their children, her cousins in France including Michel Moch and son Olivier, her step-daughter Madeleine de Briujn, as well as many friends.

Margaret wishes to spend eternity in a beautiful location in her much-loved Canada and her ashes will be spread in her favourite country area at a private service at a later date.

As an expression of sympathy memorial donations may be made to one of the charities Margaret supported for many years: The Salvation Army; Médecins Sans Fontières; or The Scott Mission. Messages of condolence are welcomed as are photos and memories you may wish to share.

Guestbook 

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Edna MacKinnon (Neighbour)

Entered July 28, 2020 from Mississauga

Margaret was a kind, classy lady. Although we lived on the same floor, I got to know Margaret through my work, a gift store she loved to frequent to buy her Lampe Berger fuel for her Berger lamp. I would bring them home to her,open the bottles and drop them off as I passed her door. She was always so grateful and humble. She had a quick wit and was quick with a comeback. I was complaining about being old and she gave me a look and retorted “Old, take a look at from where I see it, then you can complain about old”. Margaret, heaven is richer because of you and earth has lost a precious soul. Rest In Peace

Jeanene Donovan (Friend)

Entered July 28, 2020 from Mississauga, ON

I befriended Margaret several years back. She lived on the same level as I in the condo where we lived. I found her an intelligent, worldly, and a very interesting friend. Margaret was her own person which I admired. She was a determined lady who knew what she wanted and worked to make them happen. We were interested in politics and had many conversations about the existing pandemic, and how the politicians were reacting to the consequences of it. She and I were living in the era of the Great Depression in the 1930's so we also had experienced many of the same situations. Her accounts about living in Europe during WW!! were extraordinary and she and her family experienced many hardships. Since I had lived in France for 6 years after WW!!, we also talked about what France was like before, and after, the devastation from the War. We always had something to talk about, not only of the past, but also of the current situations.
I am sorry to see her gone from us, but to the end, she did things her way, and I admired her tenacity and bravery for doing so.
She is sadly missed in my life.

Elaine Robitaille (Friend of family)

Entered July 29, 2020 from Chateauguay Qc

Dear Lilllian My deepest sympathies to you on the loss of your sister.Also to both your family and Margaret’s children Matt and Michele. Have mementos albeit distant of their visits to Montmorency. I know she had been ill and knowing her suffering is over will hopefully give you peace. RIP Margaret.

Monica Cunha (Friends)

Entered August 3, 2020 from Georgetown

I will never forget you my dear Margaret
Love you

Christina (Tina) Maciejewski (Family member)

Entered August 11, 2020 from Wales, UK

Margaret was a distant cousin of my mother Joyce; both being members of the Coakley family. I always knew her as an ‘aunt’. Margaret stayed with my mother in England on her way back to Canada. She and Lillian very kindly hosted my mother on a wonderful once in a lifetime trip to Canada. Some years later I also stayed with her in her beautiful apartment in Mississauga. I remember her as an independent resilient lady. She was a wonderful cook who made the preparation of a meal seem effortless. She also shared with me the story of the family’s desperate escape from France and journey to England when she was a young child during WWII. I will miss her as a caring aunt . May she rest in peace now free from suffering.

Photos 

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