Obituary for Margaret Anne Brister (Martin)
BRISTER, Margaret Anne “Maggie”
Margaret Anne (Martin) Brister died peacefully at Kingston General Hospital on Sunday, January 29, 2023 at the age of 91. She is predeceased by her husband Peter Brister and her former husband Richard Ruddy, as well as siblings Brenda, Jean, Helen and Alex. She is survived by her younger brother George of Elton, England. Margaret will be sadly missed by her three children: Sarah (Stephen Welham), Martin (Suzanne Léger) and Michael (Alexandra Robison); seven grandchildren, Geoffrey and Emily (Evan Burtt) Welham; Stella and Sophie Ruddy; Ezekiel, Malachi and Jonah Ruddy; and her great-granddaughter Marlee Burtt; step-son David Brister (Sherri Duncan) and step-daughter Janet Pickard (Jim Pickard) and their families.
Born in Peterborough, England, Margaret was the second youngest of Edward and Elizabeth Martin’s six children. As a young graduate of Institutional Management at Radbrook College in Shrewsbury, England, specializing in dietetics, Margaret accepted a job as a dietician at the newly built Civic Hospital in Peterborough, Ontario, and emigrated from England to Canada in 1953 to begin her new job. She met and married Richard Ruddy and they settled in Niagara Falls.
A wonderful mother and homemaker, she was also a talented seamstress/dressmaker and undertook many sewing projects for family and clients. Her interest in sewing led her to establish and run The Knit Fabric House and later Marg-Anne’s House of Fabrics in Niagara Falls from 1973 through 1980. She also taught sewing and quilting classes in the evenings. After she and Richard divorced, she married Peter Brister.
From 1980 through 1987 she managed food services for Sunset Haven Nursing Home in Welland. In the late 80’s, she and Peter retired to Prince Edward County where they were active in the community. Margaret sang in the Command Performance choir as well as the choir of St. Mary Magdalene Anglican Church, taught Tai Chi, joined a bridge club and a book club. She volunteered in the Women’s Auxilary of Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital, and at a community garden. Peter and Margaret also enjoyed their favourite pastimes of sailing, the arts (especially opera, choral music and live theatre), travel as well as the many amenities offered in “The County”. For the past year, Margaret resided at the Kingsbridge Retirement Community in Kingston.
Margaret rested at Rushnell Funeral Homes – Picton Chapel, 33 Main Street (613-476-2450). A Memorial Service will be held in the Chapel on Feburary 10th at 2pm with visitation for 1 hour prior to the Memorial Service. Private Family Inurnment at Glenwood Cemetery in the Spring. If desired, donations to University Hospitals Kingston Foundation or the Heart & Stroke Foundation in memory of Margaret would be appreciated by the family. Online condolences and to share memories of “Maggie”, please visit: www.rushnellfamilyservices.com
Margaret Anne (Martin) Brister died peacefully at Kingston General Hospital on Sunday, January 29, 2023 at the age of 91. She is predeceased by her husband Peter Brister and her former husband Richard Ruddy, as well as siblings Brenda, Jean, Helen and Alex. She is survived by her younger brother George of Elton, England. Margaret will be sadly missed by her three children: Sarah (Stephen Welham), Martin (Suzanne Léger) and Michael (Alexandra Robison); seven grandchildren, Geoffrey and Emily (Evan Burtt) Welham; Stella and Sophie Ruddy; Ezekiel, Malachi and Jonah Ruddy; and her great-granddaughter Marlee Burtt; step-son David Brister (Sherri Duncan) and step-daughter Janet Pickard (Jim Pickard) and their families.
Born in Peterborough, England, Margaret was the second youngest of Edward and Elizabeth Martin’s six children. As a young graduate of Institutional Management at Radbrook College in Shrewsbury, England, specializing in dietetics, Margaret accepted a job as a dietician at the newly built Civic Hospital in Peterborough, Ontario, and emigrated from England to Canada in 1953 to begin her new job. She met and married Richard Ruddy and they settled in Niagara Falls.
A wonderful mother and homemaker, she was also a talented seamstress/dressmaker and undertook many sewing projects for family and clients. Her interest in sewing led her to establish and run The Knit Fabric House and later Marg-Anne’s House of Fabrics in Niagara Falls from 1973 through 1980. She also taught sewing and quilting classes in the evenings. After she and Richard divorced, she married Peter Brister.
From 1980 through 1987 she managed food services for Sunset Haven Nursing Home in Welland. In the late 80’s, she and Peter retired to Prince Edward County where they were active in the community. Margaret sang in the Command Performance choir as well as the choir of St. Mary Magdalene Anglican Church, taught Tai Chi, joined a bridge club and a book club. She volunteered in the Women’s Auxilary of Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital, and at a community garden. Peter and Margaret also enjoyed their favourite pastimes of sailing, the arts (especially opera, choral music and live theatre), travel as well as the many amenities offered in “The County”. For the past year, Margaret resided at the Kingsbridge Retirement Community in Kingston.
Margaret rested at Rushnell Funeral Homes – Picton Chapel, 33 Main Street (613-476-2450). A Memorial Service will be held in the Chapel on Feburary 10th at 2pm with visitation for 1 hour prior to the Memorial Service. Private Family Inurnment at Glenwood Cemetery in the Spring. If desired, donations to University Hospitals Kingston Foundation or the Heart & Stroke Foundation in memory of Margaret would be appreciated by the family. Online condolences and to share memories of “Maggie”, please visit: www.rushnellfamilyservices.com