Janet Margaret Holder

HOLDER, Janet Margaret, RN, BScN, MScN – in her 85th year at Grand River Hospital, Kitchener on January 25, 2004 with her sister Mary at her side. Margaret was born in September 5, 1919 in St. John New Brunswick, the youngest of 5 children with brothers Alan, Clinton, Bill and sister Mary. She is survived by her sister Mary, nieces and nephews Doug Holder, Lynne Mullen, Marjorie Young, Craig Holder, Jim Holder and their respective families. Predeceased by nephew Stuart Holder. Margaret’s life was dedicated to her strong faith, a career in public community healthcare, a very rich network of friends and her family. She will be remembered as a person who lived her life in a caring, unselfish and giving manner and benefitted everyone who knew her. As children Margaret and her family moved from St John to Truro, Nova Scotia. After attending Mt. Allison for one year at the urging of her mother “to gain some maturity” and “under the supervision” of sister Mary, Margaret embarked on her career by traveling to Montreal to attend Royal Victoria Hospital and earn her RN accreditation. Upon graduation she went to work for the Victorian Order of Nurses and was immediately transferred back to her home province in Liverpool, Nova Scotia. After two years in Liverpool she decided to pursue her interest in public health nursing when she left for McGill University and enrolled in Canada’s first ever Bachelor of Nursing programme and where she later also taught. From Montreal Margaret’s career returned to hometown Truro where she worked and also cared for her parents for fourteen years. Later she completed a two year programme at the University of Toronto and received a Master’s degree in Community Health Nursing. Upon graduation she moved to St. Francis Xavier University to take a position in developing and teaching programmes in gerontology and community health nursing until her retirement. Margaret combined a busy career with her faith and served on the national committee of the Nurses Christian Fellowship. The family would like to offer special thanks to the staff at Grand River Hospital, the Reverend Brooke Ashfield, the Reverend Roger Winger and the tremendous and caring support of friends from Knox Presbyterian Church, Luther Village and KW at large who assisted Margaret and family during the final weeks of her life. A memorial service was held at Luther Village chapel in Waterloo, on Wednesday Feb 4, 2004. Memorial donations to the Parkinson’s Society of Canada (please use your local chapter) or Nurses Christian Fellowship, 64 Prince Andrew Place, Toronto ON M3C 2H4 would be appreciated. Online condolences accepted at www.amgeorgefh.on.ca (A. Millard George Funeral Home 1-877-246-7186)