Obituary of Marjorie Mae Stauffer (nee Elias)

November 27, 1922 - Medicine Hat, Alberta
November 23, 2021 - Calgary, Alberta

Marjorie Stauffer beloved mother, grandmother and friend, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, November 23, 2021, 4 days shy of her 99th birthday.

Marjorie was the guiding light of our family, and led a life of faith and service to others. 

Marjorie married Franz McTavish, the love of her life, in 1941. During the war, Franz served in the Royal Canadian Air Force training pilots. After the war, they moved to Calgary and together started Chinook Flying Service, the first aircraft charter service in western Canada. Marjorie continued to run Chinook after Franz died in 1963 and later married her friend and protector, Gerald Stauffer. Together they built Stauffer Aero Ltd. No matter how busy she was with Chinook or helping manage Stauffer Aero, including all the strange and wonderful tasks she would undertake with enthusiasm, she found time to work on her charitable projects, such as making high quality outfits for children at the Sherriff King Home.

Marjorie always made time to help others and did so without seeking recognition or reward. Helping people and preserving people’s dignity was what mattered most to her. Marjorie was an accomplished concert pianist with a solid repertoire of classical, gospel, and music of the 40’s. She gave many an impromptu concert for visiting friends and family and loved playing “the oldies” for people at care-homes. She was also an active member of Music Coterie, a women’s musical club, for many years. Marjorie found great solace playing the piano, and could be found in front of it, playing her favorites, at any time of the day or night. She inspired many people with her music and talent.

Marjorie was a member of First Baptist Church, where she served on the Board of Management and as a Trustee. She was also a member of her neighborhood Northmount Baptist Church, and Highwood Lutheran Church.

When she was not helping people, she could always be found at her piano. She has given us so much love, laughter, wisdom, music, and most of all kindness.

Marjorie is survived by one sister; four children; eight grandchildren; and fourteen great-grand-children: Jock McTavish and his daughter Jennifer, her children Hannah, Hayden, and Heather; his son David McTavish and his fiancée Pam; Ken McTavish and his wife Lydia, and their children Scott McTavish, Trevor McTavish and his wife Sharie, and their children Kayla and Ryan; Ross McTavish and his wife Jody, and their children Megan, Eadon, and Nevan; Anne McTavish and her husband George Cranston and their daughter Aimee, and her children Marcel and Kathy; Elsie (Skye) McTavish and her daughter Callie Clark and husband Peter Puddicombe, and their children Emmanuel and Phoenix; her daughter Elizabeth Leiva and her husband Miguel, and their sons, Liam and Abel; her sister Mary Fenwick and her daughter Shauna Fenwick, her son Fred Fenwick and his children Eric and Lauren; her daughter Barbara Fenwick and her daughters Brianna Bock and Janelle Bock; Nancy Elias and Gordon Freight, and their daughter Christine.

Marjorie was predeceased by her first husband, Franz McTavish; second husband Gerry Stauffer; mother Sophie Elias; father John Elias; brother Bob Elias; and daughter-in-law Bonnae McTavish.

Funeral Services will be held at Highwood Lutheran Church (419 Northmount Drive N.W., Calgary, AB) on Saturday, December 4, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. For those unable to attend, the service will be live streamed through the church at https://www.facebook.com/HighwoodLutheran/. In lieu of flowers, memorial tributes in Marjorie’s name may be made directly to the charity of your choice. Condolences, memories and photos may be shared and viewed on Marjorie’s obituary at www.McInnisandHolloway.com.

In living memory of Marjorie Stauffer, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Chapel of the Bells, 2720 Centre Street North, Calgary, AB T2E 2V6, Telephone: 403-243-8200.