Margaret (Margie) J. Johnson
JOHNSON, Margaret (Margie) Jessica– With heartbreaking sadness, we share the passing of Margie Johnson of Guelph, Ontario, on June 24, 2024, at the age of 49.
Margie is survived by her beloved wife Shannon Baskin, cherished daughter Sequoia, much-loved sister Kate (Mike) Kowacz, parents-in-law Darlene and Basil Baskin, sister-in-law Ashley (Adam) Montgomery, her nieces Claire, Zoe, Keira, and nephew Maverick. Margie is predeceased by her parents, Dave (2021) and Gayle (Fraser) (1998). She will be missed by many relatives with roots in Kenora, Ontario.
Margie’s infectious smile, caring ways, inspirational stories, and heartfelt words allowed her to connect deeply with everyone she met. She always had a memory to share or a connection to someone passing by. Margie’s loss will be felt deeply by all who knew her. She was profoundly loved.
Born and raised in London, Ontario, Margie attended École Alexandra and London Central Secondary School, where she discovered her passion for the French language. She graduated from Glendon College, York University, with a Bachelor of Education. She was a third-generation teacher, following in her mother’s and grandmother’s footsteps. Margie taught at John McCrae Public School in Guelph for 20 years. Teaching grades JK to 6, she found immense joy in teaching children beside the Speed River and among the sugar maples.
Growing up, Margie’s family were active members of St. John the Evangelist in London. In Guelph, she found a spiritual home at the Unitarian Congregation of Guelph, where she was an engaged member.
Margie loved to dance. She was often the first on the dance floor and the last off. She thoroughly enjoyed the art form of contact improv dance and attended several jams over the years. Guelph’s Hillside Festival won’t be the same without her “Joy of Poi” workshop and her exuberant spinning on the lawn of the main stage.
In her youth, her love for the outdoors began at Camp Ouareau, where, over the course of 14 summers, she developed a passion for leadership and nature, first as a camper and then as a camp counsellor.
Music was another life-long interest and, for 24 years, Margie was part of the Rainbow Chorus of Waterloo-Wellington. Highlights include performing at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Centre. She remained an active and beloved member until the end. Her last concert was this past April at the River Run Centre.
Margie was also deeply curious about the world around her and she embarked on long bouts of travel to places like France, Nepal, India, Peru, Ecuador, New Zealand and parts of Africa.
Her greatest adventure, however, was building a family. She met Shannon, the love of her life, while running along the Speed River and became a mother to Sequoia a few years later, a role that became her true passion. With her family, Margie created a legacy of lasting memories: running races, canoeing, travelling, touring across North America in their camper van, and many more awesome adventures.
Diagnosed with ALS in November 2023, Margie faced her illness with grace and strength. A fundraising walk in March 2024 raised over $18,000 for the ALS Society of Canada.
The family extends a heartfelt thank you to everyone who supported them during this time. The outpouring of love brought the family immense comfort. Thank you to Kael, Barbara and Refilm for your legacy projects. Thank you to Dr. Hutton, to the amazing healthcare team that surrounded Margie, to the ALS Society of Canada and to the ALS Team at University Hospital in London. Through the Trillium Gift of Life program, Margie lives on in the lives of others.
A cremation has taken place. A visitation will be held on Thursday, June 27, 2024, at Harcourt Memorial United Church in Guelph from 6:00-8:30 p.m. A service honouring Margie will be held at Harcourt Memorial United Church, on Monday, July 1st at 1:00 p.m. For those who are unable to attend the service but wish to watch remotely, you can do so via YouTube by clicking this link.
Arrangements entrusted to WALL-CUSTANCE FUNERAL HOME & CHAPEL (519-822-0051 / www.wallcustance.com).
In lieu of flowers, for those wishing, memorial donations can be made to the ALS Society of Canada or to the family’s GoFundMe page (for Sequoia). The service will also be available via live stream for those unable to attend in person.
A tree will be planted in memory of Margie J. Johnson in the Wall-Custance Memorial Forest.