Obituary of Margaret S. KERFOOT

1921 – Sanquhar, Scotland 2014 – Calgary, Alberta Margaret Kerfoot died peacefully on January 12, 2014 in Calgary at the age of 92 years. Margaret was born in Sanquhar, Dumfriesshire, Scotland on November 8, 1921. She grew up in Sanquhar and attended Dumfries Academy. She went on to study music in Glasgow. When WWII broke out she volunteered as a Red Cross Nurse. She was stationed at the Killearn Emergency Hospital, one of the two neurological units in Britain. This is where she met Canadian Captain James Duncan Kerfoot who was recovering from severe wounds sustained in 1944 on the Burma front where he was serving with the Royal Garhwal Rifles in Lansdowne, India. They were married in Glasgow, Scotland on October 12, 1945. Margaret and James returned to the family ranch in Grand Valley west of Cochrane, Alberta, in the Fall of 1946 and began their career in ranching. They retired to Cochrane in 1988 and moved to Calgary in 1997. Margaret and James enjoyed travelling in their retirement visiting Scotland, England, Hawaii, South Africa, China, Hong Kong, Australia and the Bahamas. Margaret was a kind, compassionate, elegant and feisty Scots woman. She was “wee” but mighty. Music was very important to Margaret and was always present in her home. Many family activities, gatherings and parties ended with singing and Margaret playing her piano. She encouraged all her children to explore their musical potential. Her grand piano (a 25th wedding anniversary present from James) followed her through her moves and she was still playing it in her late eighties. Margaret was very involved in her church and community and had a wide circle of friends. She had season tickets for many years for the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, she often attended the opera, and she was a member of the Women’s Canadian Club of Calgary and the P.E.O. She is survived by her five children, Carolyn (Brian) Otto, Duncan (Lesley) Kerfoot, Jill Veres, Hamish (Rita Sirignano) Kerfoot and Quentin (Vermont), Kerfoot. She also leaves behind 14 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. Margaret was predeceased by her husband, James Duncan Kerfoot, her parents William Duncan and Margaret Currie McNaughton, her brother Duncan (Isobel) McNaughton, father and mother-in-law Duncan Irving and Margaret Mesnard Kerfoot, brothers and sisters-in-law, William (Shirley) Kerfoot, Peggy (Grant) Gibson and Joan (Jim) Storey. We would like to thank the staff at Clifton Manor for their kind and compassionate care of Margaret during the last three years. A Celebration of Margaret’s Life will be held at Varsity Acres Presbyterian Church (4612 Varsity Drive NW), on Saturday, May 24, 2014 at 1:00 pm followed by a tea. Condolences may be forwarded through www.mcinnisandholloway.com. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to a charity of your choice. In living memory of Margaret Kerfoot, a tree will be planted at Big Hill Springs Park Cochrane by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES, Crowfoot Chapel, 82 CROWFOOT CIRCLE N.W. Telephone: (403) 241-0044.