Obituary of Margaret Alice Melvin

97, Halifax. With heavy hearts we announce the passing of our mother, grandmother and great-grandmother on Tuesday, January 29th, 2013 at Northwood Center in Halifax. Margaret was born on 16 December, 1915 in Millford Haven Bridge, Guysborough County to Frank and Annie (Cunningham) Connolly. Margaret moved to Halifax in 1932 where she met and married the love of her life William "Bill" Melvin. As well as being a full time wife and mother of 18 children, Margaret spent many years as a cleaner at the Royal Bank in the Bayers Road Shopping Center and the Olympic Gardens. Despite quitting school in grade 8, Mom read the newspaper every day and watched the news religiously. She always voted, because if you voted and kept up with current affairs you could always have an opinion. She definitely passed these traits on to her family; we all like to share our opinions almost as much as we love our families. It was always a special day when you did something good and Mom would say "go to the head of the class". Thanks Mom. Mom loved to travel, even driving to Prospect or Shad Bay for the day. When she was 55 she had the opportunity to travel to Lourdes, France on a religious pilgrimage. This sparked a love of travel that she never lost. She loved to speak about her many trips she took with her children, which included such exotic places as The Fiji Islands, Hawaii, Australia, Florida, Virginia, Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland and of course all her many bus trips with her friends at the Young at Heart Club in Spryfield. Mom loved to play cards, darts, and bingo, do the lexicon every week, and tried to never miss Bob Barker on "The Price is Right". Mom had a great talent for entertaining with her harmonica and the piano. She will be sadly missed by everyone who knew her. Mom always felt her greatest legacy was her family and greeted us all like we were the one she wanted to see at that time. She is survived by her sons, Frank "Alex", Billy (Sylvia), Joe (Donna), James, Pat (Debbie), David (Marg), George (Louise), and Stephen (Kathy); daughters, Joan Mills, Shirley (Gary McMartin), Margaret Roy, Mary, Paula (Kevin Lawlor), Debbie (Stephen Beaver) and Darlene (David Finch);  52 grand-children; 37 great-grandchildren and 6 great-great grandchildren; a special daughter, Maureen Shirley (Graves) and Sister-in-law Clarice Melvin;  many nieces, nephews and other relatives. Maggs, as she was known by her family, was the last member of her immediate family. She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Bill Melvin; parents Frank and Annie Connolly; brothers, Pat, Jack, Frank, Michael, Robbie, Charlie, Steve and Ed; sisters, Florence (Fraser) and Gertie (Irene Verge-Fedan); sons, Eddie and Wayne (who was born a thalidomide baby), both died in infancy; son, Tony "Bernard", was taken by cancer in 2009; three grandsons Robert "Bobbie" Melvin, Brian and Douglas Finch. She was also predeceased by her son-in-law, Tom Mills and daughters-in-law, May (Courie) and Gail (Orefeci). A special thank you to the staff on 2 and 7 center, Northwood who treated Mom with such love and dignity.  Arrangements are under the care and direction of J. A. Walker Funeral Home (2005) Ltd., 149 Herring Cove Road, Halifax (477-5601), where visitation will be held on Sunday, February 3, from 2-4 and 6-8 PM. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, February 4 at 10 AM in St. Michaels’s Roman Catholic Church, Fr. Frank Pelerin as celebrant; reception to follow in the church hall. Interment will be held at St. John’s Cemetery on the corner of the Bedford Hwy and Windsor St. on Sunday, February 10 at 1 PM. In lieu of flowers the family would appreciate memorial donations be made to Lewy Body Dementia Research or a charity of one’s choice.