In memory of
Margaret Underhill
May 1, 1928 -
July 13, 2022
(Helen Grace) MARGARET Underhill (nee McCallum) was a miracle baby, and an incredible woman. When she passed away peacefully on Wed, July 13, 2022, at the age of 94, she had loved, & had been beloved by, four generations of family. She will be deeply missed in direct proportion to how fortunate we were to have had her in our lives, and for so long.
Born in Blackville, NB, in 1928, she weighed only 2.5lbs, and was not expected to survive. She later contracted meningitis at about age 12 and was very ill for at least one year. She regained her health and then some, and grew so strong & willing to help with anything around the farm that her dad affectionately nicknamed her "My Boy."
She and the love of her life, Warren Underhill, married young and resettled in Toronto, where they worked hard and long hours to raise their small family. Above all else, she cherished family; nothing made her happier than our simple companionship, and it was a bonus for her if she could teach you something, provide help or comfort in some way, or satiate a loved one's hunger.
While you can take the girl out of the farm, you can't take the farm out of the girl. She was shockingly self-sufficient and fastidious. She could cook, bake, sew, quilt or knit just about anything from scratch. She darned socks in a rocker, watching The National. She enjoyed making fresh bread regularly. She could crochet amazing pineapple doilies with her eyes closed and crocheted an entire beautiful table cloth. She relished being busy all day, and then falling asleep instantly and sleeping like a log from sheer exhaustion.
Margaret was a woman of profound faith, very humble; her faith carried her through many heartbreaks, including the premature loss of her own mother, Leontine, the untimely death of her beloved son, Dwight and the recent loss of her older sister, Louise.
In 2014, after a 69-year marriage full of tenderness and devotion, Warren preceded her in passing. True to form, she doted on him and kept vigil until his last day. She remained active and independent in their modest and well-tended bungalow for a number of years. She frequently sat in his favourite chair, beside a photograph of him, and would ponder what "Warren would want," before making a number of decisions, both large and small.
Margaret is survived by her daughter, Edrie; her granddaughter Jacqueline and her husband Dave; her granddaughter Stevie; and her granddaughter Alyson, her husband Derek, and their two children—sources of immense joy—Ethan and Colton. She is also survived by her many nieces and nephews both in Toronto and down east and two sister-in-laws, Mary (Royal) MacDonald and Doris Jardine. She loved them all and kept in touch. As much as we will miss her, we are happy for her that—in her words, and in accordance with her faith—she is now reunited with Warren, and has gone home to God.
There will be a private service held on Monday, July 18th. We invite you to share your fond memories of Marg in the guestbook.