I’m so sorry to hear about Marjorie’s passing. In recent years I got to know her through her philanthropic work (I work in the charitable sector). A couple of times a year, she’d invite me to her apartment for a cup of tea. I loved these conversations! The stories she could tell about Halifax, its history, the people she served as a social worker…these cups of tea would stretch for a couple of hours, and I just loved it. I love history, and if you ever wanted a decade-by-decade distillation of Halifax’s socio-economic fabric, I can’t think of anyone who could tell it better than Marjorie. I think we got a kick out of each other. I’m a Gen X-er, and she loved to tease me about my “sexy” (colourful) socks I wear, and she appreciated being called “Dr. Marje.” About two years ago, I brought her in for a tour of one of our Boys and Girls Club sites. She loved chatting with the youth, and she even ventured out on the gym floor and dribbled a basketball. I was absolutely terrified a stray ball would hit her, and that she’d get injured, but she was undaunted. Halifax has lots one of its most generous, kind, and caring citizens. She lived her philanthropy, and was just so open-hearted. To Cliff and the rest of the family…please accept my condolences and I wish you the best as you navigate this difficult time during an exceptionally difficult period. And also: thank you for sharing Marjorie with all of us and the wider community.
~Henk van Leeuwen