Margaret Evelyn Whittaker

With deep sorrow I announce the death of my beloved mother, Margaret Whittaker, in the loving company of family at Christie Gardens in Toronto on November 4, 2024.

The middle of three children, Margaret was born about five miles from Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland, England. With a scholarship to Queen Elizabeth Grammar School for Girls, Margaret began her lifelong quest for learning. Years later that quest took her to York University where she obtained her B A (Hons), M A and completed the course work for a PhD. This led to a late-in-life career at York teaching Humanities and English.

In 1945 she met her future husband, John, then a medical student at Edinburgh University. This was the beginning of a remarkable love story. Married in 1947, with daughter Carolyn (b 1948) and son Frank (b 1950), they emigrated to Canada in 1952 to work for the Grenfell Mission in Labrador and Northern Newfoundland. The mission provided free medical services to the people in remote “outports”. It was a rugged life but, as the son of missionaries in India, John was in his element. And Margaret supported him in every way including a stint as den mother at the dormitory where the children of fishermen would be dropped off for nine months of school, where she taught as well.

When John developed an incurable neurological condition, they had to leave that challenging but rewarding life. After stops in Nova Scotia and parts of Ontario, they arrived in Toronto in the mid-sixties, where, as Margaret used to say, “our caravan rested”. As children my sister and I were aware that this caravan was filled with abundant and evident love.

Predeceased by John (1981) and by her daughter Carolyn ( 2014), Margaret is survived by her son Frank (Erna); four grandchildren Michael Symonds, John Whittaker (Mandy), Tony Whittaker (Jenna),and Sarah Boyle (Chris); six great grandchildren Aurienne, Sam, Audrey, Nora, Layne and Leah.

At her request, Margaret’s cremation service was private. A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, January 19, 2025 at 2pm at The Arts and Letters Club of Toronto, 14 Elm Street.
If so wished, a donation in Margaret’s memory may be made to the Dr. John Whittaker Memorial Cerebral Palsy Award, c/o Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, 150 Kilgour Road, Toronto M4G 1R8 or to a charity of your choice.

Margaret and her family extend their thanks to the staff of Christie Gardens for many years of comfort. Special thanks also to Dr. Jean Mamoreo for her compassionate end-of-life care.

“She who was the heart, And hinge of all our learning, And our loves.”
Wordsworth