Margaret Medwid (nee Packer)

Obituary

Passed on

December 1, 1946 – June 19, 2025

It with deep sorrow and heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our mother, Margaret on June 19, 2025, peacefully at home.  Lovingly remembered by daughter Karmelle, son Kristopher (Kelly), sisters Kathleen Biloki and Valerie McHale (Ian).  Mom is also survived by many nieces and nephews of whom she was very fond.

Margaret was predeceased by her father Alfred Maxwell in 1973, mother Emily in 1980, husband Jim in 2018, brother-in-law Merlyn in 2020, and her sister Irene in 2023.

Mom was born in Northwich, Cheshire England on December 1, 1946.  She came to Canada with her family in June 1949.  They settled on a farm west of Gunton. She attended Gunton Elementary School and Teulon Collegiate Institute.  After leaving high school, she acquired a job as a telephone operator with the Manitoba Telephone System in Winnipeg from 1964 to 1967.

In June of 1967 she married Jim Medwid and moved to the Medwid farm south of Balmoral where she lived until her passing. In 1972 she was blessed with daughter Karmelle and in 1976, son Kristopher.

In 1968 she acquired a position as receptionist for Drs. Beryl & Maurice Bishop at Hunter Memorial Hospital where she worked until 1976.  In 1978 she decided to pursue a career in nursing. At that time Karmelle was 5 and Kristopher 2.  During her training she had the support of her family who had to sacrifice a lot for her to succeed and she graduated from the Grace General Hospital in Winnipeg in June of 1980.

Mom acquired a job as a general duty RN at the Teulon Hunter Memorial Hospital, a small but very active rural hospital at that time.  She gained valuable experience in the ER, OR, L&D, and pediatrics.

From 1980-1989 she worked day and night rotation as she wanted to attend all of our baseball, hockey and ringette games in the evenings.

In 1989 she obtained her Nursing Administration in the Health Care System from the University of Manitoba.

From 1989-1991 she filled two term positions as case coordinator for  home care, covering the Teulon and Fisher Branch areas followed by the Stonewall, St Laurent and Lundar areas. During this time, she identified the need for a Teulon Handivan and in 1991, with the help of councillor Bill Docking & Teulon Hospital Foundation the first Teulon Handivan was purchased.

In 1991, she returned to Hunter Memorial Hospital as head nurse, later moving into the Director of Nursing position.  From 1991-1997 Mom taught the Teulon Volunteer Ambulance crew in the evening once a week.

In 1998 regionalization took place, the end of the era of Director of Nursing in one facility.  She became the Clinical Team Manager over Teulon and Stonewall Hospitals until her retirement in 2016.

Community, family and friends were very important to Mom.  She was a member of the Balmoral Rec Center Board, the Teulon & District Handivan Committee and the Southwest Palliative Care Committee.

Mom loved having friends over for lunch and afternoon tea.  She also looked forward to hosting traditional family gatherings. Family and friends were extremely important to her.  They were all so very supportive.

Mom also had a very strong faith all her life.  In later years she was a member of the Stonewall Anglican Church.  She belonged to the choir and was a member of vestry.

The family would like to thank Michelle, Michaela, Jennifer and Elissa. Also thanks to Janet Haley and Maureen Tully for all their support when Mom’s health started to fail.

Funeral service will be held on, Monday, July 7, at 11:00 AM in the Anglican Church of Ascension, Stonewall.  Lunch to follow at the Stonewall Legion, followed by a private interment at Stonewall Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, if friends so desire, donations may be made to Teulon & District Handivan or the Southwest Palliative Care Committee.

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