Obituary of Margaret Robertson
ROBERTSON, Margaret Peden (nee Chalmers)
1928-2020
Peggy Robertson passed away on April 2 at The Village of Winston Park Long Term Care in Kitchener, Ontario. Born on April 18, 1928, Peggy was the daughter of Fleming and Nellie (nee MacMillan) Chalmers of North Easthope Township. Peggy met her future husband, Crerar Robertson very early in life. They were classmates at Hampstead School and attended the same church and Sunday school. The Robertsons were blessed with a rich and happy life together. They were married in 1951 and moved to Stratford where they lived for 56 years before moving to Waterloo. Crerar pre-deceased Peggy in 2014. Prior to her marriage Peggy worked for Mutual Life Insurance Company of Kitchener. As a girl she studied piano which was a lifelong pleasure. Another lifelong pleasure introduced to her by her Uncle, Warnock MacMillan, was the beauty of the Bruce Peninsula, especially at his cabin at Cape Crocker, which the family continues to enjoy. Peggy and Crerar were long-time members of St. John’s United Church in Stratford and sang together in the Senior Choir for many years. Peggy also had a long connection with the Christian Women’s Club of Stratford, where, among other things, her musical talents were put to good use. She enjoyed sketching and, her love of art, lead her to volunteer at Gallery Stratford. Peggy loved to travel and she and Crerar visited much of Canada, Hawaii, Alaska, Bermuda, the Caribbean, and the British Isles. The Robertsons enjoyed attending K-W Symphony concerts with Peggy’s parents and her Uncle Warnock. In 1985 Peggy and Crerar purchased their beloved cottage on the shores of Colpoy’s Bay, Bruce County. Swimming in the bracing waters of the bay, tending flowers, cross-country skiing and walking on the Bruce Trail with friends and family were much enjoyed.
In the last decade of her life Peggy developed a new musical skill. After learning to read music as a girl and playing piano from printed scores for seventy years, Peggy learned the art of playing ‘by ear’. She put this to use when living at Luther Village in Waterloo and at Winston Park where she was ready to take requests (usually) and to offer seasonal and topical tunes. Residents will long remember Peggy’s daily musical gifts. She was able to play piano into the first weeks of 2020.
Peggy will be deeply missed by her daughter, Janet and husband, Bill Woolfrey of Waterloo, (family: son, Evan and his wife, Kathy and their daughter, Elinor; son, Cameron) her daughter, Catherine and husband, Marcus Kramer of Guelph, (family: daughter, Sarah and husband, Johannes and their daughter, Alma; son, Timothy; son, Adrian and his wife, Lucia) her son, Jamie and wife, Francine of Oxenden, Georgian Bluffs (family: son, Owen; daughter, Emelie). Peggy was predeceased by her brother, Jim Chalmers in 2010, and his wife, Isobel in 2019. She leaves behind many loving nieces and nephews.
The family is grateful to the compassionate and skilled staff at The Village of Winston Park Long-Term Care. Their kindness and dedication to Peggy is most appreciated.
A private service will be held at Hampstead Cemetery at a later date. Condolences for the family and donations to Avondale United Church, Stratford or The Nature Conservancy of Canada may be arranged through the Erb & Good Family Funeral Home, 171 King Street S. Waterloo at www.erbgood.com or 519-745-8445.