Marg Ackerman
Born: Margaret Rose Schulz, September 12, 1939
Passed Away: November 21, 2012
Margaret Rose Schulz was born in Trail Hospital while her parents, Maud and Wilfred, were living in Fruitvale B.C. She spent many of her early years moving around rural British Columbia while her father worked at building Forestry roads. They resided in such places as Aleza Lake, Stone Creek, and Neskonlith Lake, eventually settling in Salmon Arm. When Marg was seven years old her sister Ilene was born and it was the start of many adventures shared by the two, both on and off the family farm and fruit orchard.
In 1960 Marg’s name changed from Schulz to Ackerman when she married her sweetheart, Wayne. They moved to Kamloops, then Williams Lake where Derek was born in 1963. From there, they moved on to Prince George, where Paige was born in 1967. Many summers were spent travelling back to Salmon Arm to help with the cherry harvest and the season was filled with both work and a great deal of fun.
Marg and Wayne bought property at Summit Lake and built a cabin, it was a family affair, and relatives from both sides joined in and helped. Marg’s fascination with fire was given wings as the property was quickly cleaned up and she worked to achieve the largest fires possible without scorching the surrounding forest. As the kids got older she found herself with more free time so she returned to work, first part time for the Federal Government, then finding a more satisfying position with the Provincial Government Corrections Department. She spoke of her days at Hutda Lake Camp the way many of us discuss our holidays – beautiful surroundings and great people, and always something happening in which to find humour.
Marg and Wayne parted ways in 1981, but they remained friends. She stayed close to her children, even though they moved to opposite corners of Southern B.C. In 1997 when Derek’s son Troy was born, Marg became a grandmother and, although the title Gramma Marg required a mental adjustment, she loved the role.
Retiring in 1998, Marg was granted the time to immerse herself more fully in the things she loved doing. She enjoyed being with friends, lots of pot-luck dinners, and playing games with Betty, Joy, Carol, Heather and others. She could be a fierce opponent.
She took great pleasure in travel, happy to camp and loved exploring new places. Former co-worker, Heather, got to have fun on these jaunts with Marg – Honolulu, Quebec City, San Francisco, but the best was England. Marg loved delving into the history of these places, walking for miles to get a real feel for these wonderful sites.
She also loved to explore regions closer to home, particularly when her second grandchild, Kendra, was born in 1999. Being retired afforded her the ability to spend more time with both her children and grandchildren, and they all relished the ability to spend more time with her.
Marg loved puttering and could only sit still if she was reading a good book. She was creative and had a very strong sense of detail. Her house and yard were always receiving improvements and updates; she spent much of her time keeping things organized, neat, and tidy, and whenever one of her children visited she always had a long list of to-do’s ready and at hand. She volunteered for the Council of Seniors as a Meals on Wheels driver, and also gave her time to the Elder Citizen’s Recreational Association. Marg had a strong sense of community and gave freely of herself to family, friends, colleagues, and to those in need – both close to home and in other parts of the world.
Animals were a constant part of Marg’s life; she had a passionate love of dogs and, although she had a difficult time when they passed away, she always seemed happiest when her dog was happy. That usually translated to “well fed”. Darbi will miss her; she now resides in Cranbrook with Derek and his family.
Marg’s values – generosity, compassion, curiosity, loyalty, honesty, charity – shaped her children and touched those she met, and will be remembered by all who knew her. Thank You for being You and for all the help You have given us Mom, Gramma, Marg – we miss You, and Thank You for making the world a better place.
