Two weeks after marrying her longtime fiancé Richard Williams on Valentine’s Day, Marjorie died of cancer at the age of 40 at Queens General Hospital. Her family was by her side.
Marjorie was born in southwest Port Mouton on June 25, 1971.
When she finished school, Marjorie began working in homecare. After, she worked at Clearwater and then Blue Wave Seafood Inc. as a labourer packing fish.
She would do anything for anyone, agreed Marjorie’s family and friends, as they reminisced about her at the house she and Richard shared in White Point.
“She would help anybody,” says her sister Josey Guest.
Marjorie was the youngest of eight children and was close to her sister Josey growing up.
She loved animals, but especially cats, add Guest and Richard. Marjorie always owned cats. Her latest cat was her kitten Paws.
Next to her love for animals, Marjorie loved to knit and would make dishcloths for people. Joyce Huphman, Marjorie’s sister-in-law, got a dishcloth each Christmas.
Another activity she loved was to go “clamming.” And she could clean them, says her family.
“Every time I called her, ‘Got to go, got to clean clams,’” remembers Josey with a laugh.
She was a peaceful woman who didn’t like to fight.
“By the looks of the wedding and the funeral, you can tell she was well liked,” says Corina Huphman, Marjorie’s sister-in-law.
More than 200 people crowded into the West Queens Recreation Centre in Port Mouton to help Marjorie and Richard celebrate what Marjorie says was her dream wedding.
Corina says when she asked Marjorie if the wedding was everything she expected, Marjorie said it was everything and more.
This is one of Richard’s fondest memories of Marjorie – the day he and his wife said, “I do,” and signed their vows.
Others have fond memories of Marjorie, too.
“She was my best friend because when I had a problem, I always called her,” says Josey.
When Marjorie couldn’t sleep, she would call her sister at three or four in the morning to talk.
Joyce says Marjorie would often call to chat with her as well.
“She was a chatty kind of girl,” says Corina.
She was also social and loved to hang out with her friends and was often the designated driver. Behind the wheel of a car, Marjorie took her time.
“If I ever drive slowly, I’ll think of Marjorie because I teased her so badly,” says her good friend Paula Frelick. “I used to say I could get out and run faster.”
The group laughs affectionately at the memory of Marjorie’s driving.
“She was always chewing at me to slow down,” adds Richard.
Marjorie was still talking late into Monday evening.
“Monday evening, she lifted her head right off the bed, and she told me she loved me,” says Corina.
She never spoke a word of complaint, adds Corina.
“The whole time she was in there, she never said, ‘Why me?’” says Corina. “She took everything in stride.”
“She wouldn’t even tell you when she was in pain,” says Richard.
Like the wedding, the funeral wasn’t shy of people. There was a family night on March 1 and, despite a snowstorm, Corina says people came from as far as Bridgewater. The following day, people packed into Chandlers’ Funeral Home.
Marjorie’s family says they’re grateful for the community’s help and support and would like to thank everyone.
“I hope they have knitting needles and Bingo (in heaven) because if they do, she’s happy,” says Corina.
