Margaret Elinor Seeley (nee Pander)

It is with broken hearts that we announce Margaret Elinor Seeley (nee Pander) of Calgary, AB passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family, on Thursday, May 6, 2021 at the age of 80. She is lovingly remembered by her husband of 62 years, Leroy, 5 children:  Leanne (Brady) Whyte, Calgary; Robert (Kathy) Seeley, Canmore; Stacie (Phil) Maxey, Poole, Dorset, UK; Michael Seeley, Salmon Arm, BC; Lisa (Doug) Kemppainen, Frisco, TX, USA; 12 precious grandchildren living in Canada, USA and UK; brothers George, Wayne, and Gerald; and sisters Anne (Doug) Silversides, and Gloria (Rob) Doucette, Jae-Lynn Smigel, Donna (Dave) Redden; and a gazillion nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her parents, brother Don (Shirley), and two sisters-in-law Carol (Wayne) and Lorna (George), as well as brother-in-law Don (Jae-Lynn).

Margaret was born April 30, 1941 to Francis (Frank) and Lily Pander, the second of seven children. She was raised on the family farm southeast of Glenavon, SK.  Marg, or ‘Maggie’ as her cousins called her, grew up with a large extended immigrant family who came over to Canada from Poland in 1911.  Living first in a stone house in Candiac, SK and later upgrading to a trendy farmhouse (with no running water or heating) on a rural highway, surrounded by five Pander brothers farming at adjoining farms. 

Marg had a large family with many sets of Aunts and Uncles and a lot of first cousins living nearby – many at the farms of her aunts and uncles up the road.   She took her formal school in a small community of Bemersyde, SK and later in Glenavon school.   She held family first and foremost in her heart and instilled a deep sense of this for her children and grandchildren. 

Marg met Lee in Winnipeg and married him in 1959 in Hemer/Deilinghofen, Germany, where Dad was stationed at the time.  For a farm girl from Saskatchewan to travel to Germany at the age of 17, was a very big thing and started a long adventure of travel, living as an army wife and many military moves.  Marg and Lee had five children all born in a variety of locations across Canada.  In the first 12 years of their married life, they lived in 10 different cities. 

Needless to say, Marg was resilient, strong and fearless.  She retired from BMO in 1997 and had a variety of hobbies and charities that she was happy to help.  Marg built many happy memories for her family in homes in Invermere, Blind Bay, BC and Calgary, AB.  In Blind Bay, she started selling Avon.  Marg started with two customers.  Blind Bay is a sparsely populated area and very spread out.  Her business grew to over 100 customers quickly, which was an amazing feat for that area and showed her resilience and determination. 

Our childhood was built with many camping trips, hauling kids, pets, and fruit home from BC.  And of course, regular trips back and forth to the farm in Glenavon.  Marg was also a CFSA figure skating judge with Cal-Alta Figure Skating Club and every kid in our family was a figure skater.  Sometimes several rinks at the same time was a challenge but she made it happen along with Dad. 

Mom was a wonderful cook, and all grandchildren know how to make her amazing cinnamon buns.  Shelves lined with homemade pickles and jams will be a legacy in each of her children’s fridges for months to come.  Gardening, hummingbirds and watching the sunrise over the beautiful Valley Ridge golf course were some of her favorite things.  She also loved Elvis and her dogs; Keimaya was her fur-baby, and she was greatly impacted by the loss of Keimaya.  Mom loved to travel, Europe, Mexico, Dominican, Hawaii, Texas, and annual trips to Yuma, Arizona were among her favorite places.

The family would like to thank the Calgary EMS, paramedics led by a wonderful lady Jessica who made an awful moment in time more bearable for us, and the nursing staff on Unit 42 at the Foothills, especially Trinity who had a special place in Mom’s heart. 

In lieu of flowers, donations in Margaret's memory may be made to either the Alberta Animal Rescue Crew (AARCS)  or the Ostomy Canada Society (or a charity of your choice).

God saw you getting tired, a cure was not to be, he wrapped you in his loving arms and whispered, ‘come to me’.  With tearful eyes we watched you and saw you pass away, and although we love you dearly, we could not make you stay.

A golden heart stopped beating, hard working hands at rest.

God broke our hearts to prove to us, he only takes the best.

Rest in peace, Momma!

Due to Covid restrictions, a Private Family Service for Margaret will be held in Calgary on May 12 at 1:00 pm, with live stream available through the link below to provide friends and family in Canada, the UK and the US the opportunity to join us.