OLMSTED o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2007-06-27 published
OLMSTED,
Marjorie
Kingsland (née
SALTER)
(February 25, 1917-June 23, 2007)
Marjorie OLMSTED lived 90 years of what she would have termed
an 'ordinary life', but to those of us who knew and loved her,
she was extraordinary. She brought joy to others in the simplest
way possible - yet few achieve it - she made us laugh. Constantly!
Her keen eye combined with quick wit left any situation open
to her humorous quips. Marj will always be remembered as kind,
gentle, artistic and creative, and most of all, funny. She loved
the sound of laughter and even as Alzheimers slowly diminished
her memory in later years, with a twinkle in her eye she managed
to bring delight to others daily. This beautiful Scottish/Irish
lassie with the gorgeous auburn hair and freckles was born in
Quebec City on February 25th, 1917 to parents Lillian and Norman
SALTER who later moved to Ottawa. At 14, Marj met her childhood
sweetheart, Earl
OLMSTED, whom she married at 23 and they remained
together for 76 years. Not an easy feat when you consider they
endured the 2nd World War being apart. (Lt. Col.
OLMSTED [Ret.]
was overseas for 5 years and is one of the few living survivors
of the Normandy Beach landing.) For 2 of the war years Marj attended
Kemptville Agricultural College, one of the highlights of her
life. This was followed by a life being an 'army wife' with moves
from Ottawa to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, Fort Churchill, Manitoba,
and Madison, Wisconsin accompanied by their four children - Eric,
Valerie, Eleanor, and Bruce. She was able to put her home economic
studies to good use in her chosen career as a devoted and outstanding
Mom. Marjorie lived for many years on Broadview Avenue, Ottawa
and in Amberwood Village, Stittsville surrounded by wonderful
neighbors. On one of their postings 45 years ago, Marjorie discovered
she had breast cancer. Her humour helped her through those dark
times and upon waking from major surgery asked her doctor 'Does
this mean I can no longer wear double breasted suits?' He encouraged
her to find a new hobby so she signed up for art lessons as a
form of therapy and found a hidden artistic gift that blossomed
into years of painting (often with her beloved dog Lara at her
feet). Using mixed media, she would amaze relatives and Friends
with her original artwork and poems to suit special occasions.
Always a journalist and poet, at the age of 80 Marj wrote an
article entitled 'Diary of Breast Cancer.' Not only was it published
in the Ottawa Citizen, but it has been widely distributed to
thousands of women across Canada to offer them hope and inspiration.
Her illness never returned and she lived cancer-free 45 more
years! Marjorie's #1 passion was her family and grandchildren
- Jana and Pat
CLENDON of Calgary, Lani EL-
GUEBALY of Vancouver,
and Tally, Lindsay, and Geoffrey
OSBORNE of Toronto - and many
happy reunions took place at Marj and Earl's beloved Red Pine
Camp on Golden Lake, Ontario where lifelong Friendships were
formed and strengthened each summer for over 65 years. Beauty
was an ongoing theme in her poems; Sugarbush Pointe and Red Pine
Camp captured for Marjorie the best that camaraderie and nature
had to offer. Perfect and personal pieces of Canada. Already
sadly missed by her husband, children, and grandchildren, some
very special people who will mourn her loss are relatives Noreen
LANGDON,
Rita
SALTER, Ted and Muriel
LANGDON, Alan and Waveney
SALTER, Doctor Nady EL-
GUEBALY, Doctor Ray
OSBORNE, Judy
KETCHESON,
Marilyn EL-
GUEBALY, Bill
SALTER Jr., Mary and King
CHAPMAN, Andrea
and Albert
PETERS,
Doug and Jean
SALTER, Red
Piners and lifelong
Friends in the Ottawa Valley. She was recently predeceased in
August 2006 by her first-born son Eric, also by her parents,
her brothers Bill and Jack, her niece's son Scotty, many aunts
and uncles, fellow grandparents Ahmed and Andree EL-
GUEBALY,
and nephew Geoffrey
LANGDON. In the summer of 2002 Marjorie said,
'soon I will be flying with wings.' We are forever grateful that
we had a few more years to enjoy her company before she flew
away. Marjorie loved words and here are a few of her own which
foreshadowed this occasion.
End of Summer
Touch the rustic railings one more time And gaze at the quiet
lake. The leaves are brittle now And rattle in the breeze. Feel
the sun, half warm, half chill, And say goodbye to summer. A quiver
is in the poplars; A shiver is in the pines, On the lake the
waves wear A lacey fringe of winter white And one bird flies
Into a fading sky.
Special thanks to Evelyn
ALBAN, who is like a member of the family,
and to the loving staff at the Claremont Retirement Residence
in Toronto, especially Barbara. You are truly an amazingly loyal
and caring group of people. A Graveside Internment Service will
be held at Capital Memorial Gardens Cemetery, 3700 Price of Wales
Drive, Nepean on Thursday, June 28, 2007 at 3: 15 p.m. For further
information please call Tubman Funeral Homes at 613-722-6559.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Marjorie's name to the Ottawa
Mission, 35 Waller Street, Ottawa, K1N 7G4, would be sincerely
appreciated. Anyone wishing to read 'Diary of Breast Cancer'
can find it on Val Warner's website www.walkandtalkforwomen.com.
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