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Note: Madeleine A. Thomson In her 92nd year, died in Ottawa on August 25 2007 after a lengthy illness. Beloved wife of the late Thomas Thomson. Mother of Claire Miller (David), Halifax, NS, and Thomas, Edmonton, AB. Grandmother of Jeffrey Miller (Kerri), Lake Echo, NS and Eric Miller (Arica), Alexandria VA. Great-grandmother of Megan and Marlee Miller, Lake Echo, NS. Mrs. Thomson grew up in the Maritimes where her father, Brenton Penwarden, was a United Church minister with pastoral charges throughout the region. She met and married Thomas Thomson in Belleisle Creek, NB in 1939. Following WWII, they moved to Montreal and then to Ottawa in 1955. Mrs. Thomson became an enthusiastic and knowledgeable collector of Canadian glass, and she was an active member of Glasfax and editor of the Glasfax newsletter. Her interest in glass and antiques led to friendships and collaborations throughout eastern Canada, and because of her expertise, she was frequently called upon as a consultant and speaker. Thanks to the staff at the Queensway-Carleton Hospital, Ottawa, and especially to Mary Brown, niece and cousin, for her immeasurable kindness and help. Cremation has taken place, with the cremated remains to be interred in Bellisle Creek, NB, Kennetcook, NS, and at the family cottage in Shediac, NB. Friends are invited to attend a Memorial Service at the Central Chapel of Hulse, Playfair & McGarry, 315 McLeod Street, Ottawa on Saturday, September 8, 2007 at 2pm. Reception to follow in the McGarry Family Reception Centre. A gathering for family and friends will also be held at Madeleine s cottage in Shediac, New Brunswick, on Saturday, September 22 at 2pm. No flowers, please. In memoriam donations may be made to the Canadian Lung Association or a charity of choice. www.mcgarryfamily.ca Her son Tom gave the following story of Madeleine's life: Madeleine Anita Thomson was born in 1916 in St. George, New Brunswick, the daughter of the Reverend Brenton Penwarden and Clara Young. Her father was a minister with charges in Congregationalist and Presbyterian Churches in the Maritimes and New England and after Union in 1925 in United Churches in the Maritimes. She met Dad, Thomas Thomson, in Belleisle Creek, New Brunswick. They married in July, 1939 - a marriage which lasted 58 years until Dad's death in 1997. Her first introduction to Ottawa came during World War II when Dad was posted with the Royal Canadian Air Force to Rockcliffe Air Force Base and seconded to the National Research Council. Mother worked as a medical secretary during that time. Mother and Dad discovered Shediac, New Brunswick also during the War when Dad was posted to Scoudouc Air Force Base. They moved to Montreal in 1946 following Dad's mustering out from the Air Force. My sister, Claire, arrived that same year followed by me in 1950. We moved to Ottawa in 1955 when Dad became Sales Manager of Commodity Sales with Crown Assets Disposal Corporation. Mother developed an interest in antiques, especially Canadian glass. The Dominion Glass Company sponsored the establishment of Glasfax as a Centennial project in 1967. The group's purpose was researching the history of glass production in Canada. Mother was a founding member and edited the newsletter for many years. She was active in the Collectors Club of Ottawa for many years and served as President for a period. She was also a member of the Bytown Bottle Club and the Ceramic Circle. She could frequently be found at antique shows in Ottawa staffing the identification table and would help with identification of artifacts at museums. She was also a frequent lecturer on glass and antiques. Mother liked to travel. Her first experience of New York came as young child when her father took her to visit her uncle Howard Thurston and aunt Nina. Howard Thurston was the inventor of the big magical illusion and was a contemporary of Harry Houdini. Dad's invention of the Thomson Ticker Tape Puller necessitated travel to New York a couple of times a year. Mother would go along on these trips which always included evenings at the theatre on Broadway. Claire got to go the year she turned 12 and saw Julie Andrews and Rex Harrison in "My Fair Lady". The year I turned 12, I also saw Julie Andrews but this time with Robert Goulet and Richard Burton in "Camelot". Mother and Dad started going back to Shediac in the early 1950's taking Claire and me with them. They rented cottages for a few years and then we built our own in 1960. This is the first summer in all that time that Mother did not go to Shediac. After Dad's retirement from Crown Assets, further trips included biennial visits to the British Isles which did not stop until Dad's death. They also started going to Florida after Dad's retirement but at first Mother did not want to go. Dad had heard good things about Florida from people that he worked with and really wanted to go. Mother said she'd hate it. It would be hot and they wouldn't know anybody. Dad worked on her and worked on her and then she said why didn't he go by himself. Dad didn't want that and worked on her some more . Finally she relented as much to get him to shut up as anything and said they would go for two weeks. Of course, she loved it. They wound up staying for a month. The same thing happened with Dad when Mother wanted to go see Disney World and the Epcot Center. Dad said Disney World was for kids and he would hate it. Mother worked on him and worked on him and finally, he agreed to go as much to get Mother to shut up as anything. Of course, he loved it and they wound up staying three days. They based themselves at the Marriner in Naples. This was the first year that Mother did not go to Florida. Mother was blessed with good health until a couple of years ago when her lungs started to give her problems. Mentally she stayed sharp until the very end. She passed away peacefully on August 25th. When the nurse checked her at 5:30 A.M., Mother was sleeping. At 6:00 A.M., she was gone. So long, Mom.
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