It is with profound sadness to announce the passing of Margaret Bailey on February 9, 2024 at the age of 95 in Edmonton. Born in Viscount, Saskatchewan on a farm. Lived in Nipawin, Saskatchewan for over 60 years with husband Bob Bailey. Moved to Edmonton in September 2020 at age 93 to be closer to her kids.
Family… daughters: Darlene (Jasper), Rhonda (Edmonton), Heather (Ontario). Son: David Bailey (Kamloops). Daughter-in-law: Cori Bailey. Son-in-law: John Riedler (Jasper), William Woods (Edmonton) who affectionately called Mom “Moonbeam.” Grandchildren: Ethan Bailey (Kamloops) and Shantelle Bailey (Edmonton) and Justin Riedler (Jasper).
Everyone Margaret met, she touched their hearts and lives. She always wanted to hang with younger people and engage with them. She loved Jasper.
Many people in Jasper knew her for her love of life, inspiration and stories of her many adventurous travels. Example: backpacking and hiking (which she trained for) at age 80 to Argentina. Now that is determination and will.
Margaret was famous in Jasper for making her many pies, especially her Saskatoon Berry-Rhubarb pies which she made at Mountain Foods Café, but mostly for the Raven Bistro and the Whisky Jack Grill where she would make literally hundreds of pies until she was 91. She picked her own berries way up northern roads till she was 92. Many times, she would sleep in the car with the berries and continue on the next day picking. She had many bear encounters and would raise her arms up and just say, “Shoo!” She planted and tended her garden in Nipawin until she was 92 and rode her bike till she was 90.
Words to describe Margaret…hardworking, supportive, caring, giving, wise, compassionate, strong-willed, adventurous, feisty, tenacious, Earth Friendly (never wasted, always reused). The world would be in better shape if we had more Margarets. And as a very dear person in Mom’s life, Anja from Belgium, whom Mom love dearly, wrote to me, “I wish I could give you a hug. We would probably end up crying, but then again there is nothing wrong with tears. We could call them pearls for Margaret or diamonds because that is who she was, a diamond.”
Her kids were first and foremost in her life, and she held the Church dear to her. She touched so many lives, and we will all miss her deeply. Heaven has you now. Love you, mom.
