Document Contributed by Theresa McBryan Edmonton
Click on the photos to see larger versions.

March 31, 1917-July 17,2002
Some of you may know Margaret as a curler; some may know her as a Guide Leader; others as a

Those of you who have always known about Marg’s passion for life in the out of doors may not know that she was raised as a city girl in Ottawa. She was the only daughter of Martin and Grace Casey. She had one brother Alan. Her father had been a dory fisherman in Newfoundland but upon moving to Ottowa worked as a night watchman at Rideau Hall. Her mother Grace had trained as a teacher. Her brother Alan enlisted in the service and saw action in WWII. Margaret like many young women of the time worked in a factory building compasses.





When her eldest daughter became a Brownie Marg discovered the second great love of her life, the Girl Guide movement. Before we knew it, in 1959, the house was suddenly full of Girl Guide Cookies, the garage jammed with Girl Guide camping equipment. She had become the St. Andrew’s Girl Guide leader.
Marg was a fabulous Guide Leader.

She taught responsibility, goal setting and proficiency in a multitude of skills to her girls in a way that was so much fun they didn’t even know that they were learning
something. Bears were a special challenge to Mum. In bear country she patrolled the campsite with a pot and ladle at the ready, alert to repel any ursine foolish enough to invade her territory. She came home one summer incandescent with delight at having run a bear out of the cook shelter. Her summers camping with he girls were the highlights of her year, planned for meticulously all year long.


The YM/YWCA Woman of Distinction Award and given a lifetime membership in the Girl Guides of Canada in 2001 in recognition of her 47 years of service.

Family outing to the summer cottage she and Ken had acquired about the same time were also a special delight for her. She loved to bake bread in a coal and wood stove the way she had in the early days f her marriage. She wasn’t quite as enthusiastic sailor as her children, but she still had her own adventures on the water. One evening she took the little putt putt across the Bay to the Mulhurst guide camp, lingered a little too long at campfire, and got lost on the lake in the dark. She missed our point, continued on down the lake until she ran out of gas then rowed to shore at the farthest end of the lake from our cottage. She hitchhiked back at dawn, to the relief of her worried family.








Her and Ken also made a number of overseas trips during their retirement.
During the rest of the year she kept up her involvement with young people and saw girls who had been members of her troop grow into adulthood and become close friends and leaders themselves. Her spiritual family is immense, far greater than the five children and fifteen grandchildren and great grandchildren she is related to by blood.

Mum has always had a great many friends because she has always been such a good friend. She loved her friends and went out of her way at every opportunity to be a gracious hostess who made everybody feel comfortable in civilization or the wild.
Her fellows Guide Leaders were very special to her. Night Owl Marg was always the first one up at camp, bringing morning coffee to the other leaders. Although alcohol was not a large part of Marg’s regular life

Mum nourished creativity in everyone and was thrilled by any gift the person had invested personal effort in. Her house is full of every kind of handicraft and handmade item her children, Girl Guides or friends ever made for her.

We do not grieve for lost chances or unexplored potential. Marg lived a very full life and God took her back quickly and painlessly at a moment of great happiness. She had just returned from her son’s 25th Wedding Anniversary, bubbling with delight after a wonderful weekend with children, spouses and grandchildren in Calgary.

We who were there feel very fortunate that we had this chance to see Mum for the last time, happy, health, full of life humor and joy. We ask everyone here to remember her the same way. Mum never cared about badges for her girls; she never desired honors for herself. Her enduring legacy will be in the memories of joy and happiness everyone here can treasure of
their relationship with our mother.
Obit of Ken and Margaret McBryan
Wedding Announcement Ken and Margaret McBryan
Obituary of Grace Lillian Casey, mother of Margaret Casey
Obituary Alan John Casey brother of Margaret (Casey) McBryan p1
Obit A J Casey p2
Obituary of Olive Casey, sister in law of Margaret Casey
1 comment:
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