Hers was a life filled with love, adventure, mischief, a decent measure
of graham crackers, deep love of books, family and the natural world.
Now more than a century after she was born, our beloved Marian has
passed on at the age of 102.

Her remarkable sense of spirit, boundless curiosity and joy for life
will be carried in the hearts of countless people she has touched.

Marian was generous, kind, and strong, was gifted with an encyclopedic
memory, a razor-sharp sense of humour and was a crack shot with a rifle.
She was fearless, not one to suffer fools, and was deeply, deeply loved
by those lucky enough to know her.

Her vast family tree extended through her daughter Carol Hindmarsh
(Deceased 2005) Susan (Chuck) Chan, Joan (Jackson) Mathieu, Kate Cino,
and John (Jane) Hindmarsh. She was the loving “Granny” of 14, “Mimi” to
15 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandson — not to mention
“Auntie Marian” to many nieces, nephews and children born to her wide
circle of friends. Her sister-in-law, Bev Ferguson, is among the many
grieving her loss.

Marian Ferguson was born in Portsmouth Ohio, on November 6, 1919, to new
parents Elizabeth and Eric Ferguson, before becoming big sister to
Francis and then brother Hank.

Marian’s pursuit of knowledge included a formal education at the
Columbus School for Girls, in Columbus Ohio. She went on to study
psychology at the University of Michigan and graduated cum laude, in
1940.
While never far from the printed page it was her deep love of wildlife
that brought her together with her husband John, who she met while
spending summers at Pointe au Baril on the shores of Georgian Bay. It
was a place they loved and would frequently return to throughout their
married life.

After celebrating their marriage in 1941, the couple moved throughout
Ontario and then to Goderich, on the shores of Lake Huron. There, John
trained pilots at the Royal Canadian Air Force base as part of his
wartime service.

In 1947, after the war, the couple decided to make Goderich their
permanent home and purchased a farm one mile south of the town on
Highway 21.

That white, two-story, clapboard house was where they raised their five
children and, after John’s death in 1995, where Marian stayed until the
age of 99.

That farmhouse was the site of many gatherings for more than 73 years,
its fields and forested trails the source of countless walks and moments
of quiet reflection.

In 2009, Marian and her family made the decision to preserve the site.
With the help of the Ontario Farmland Trust, a conservation easement was
created which guarantees that the farmland will be protected in
perpetuity.

After her own children left the nest, Marian turned her attention to the
children and families in her community, becoming a social worker for the
Huron County Children’s Aid Society in Goderich from 1967 to 1980.
Marian also spent many years providing play and art therapy to children
and volunteering with Huron Hospice, for which she was honoured with a
June Callwood Award of Distinction in 2002.

Marian was a lifelong and active member of St. George’s Anglican Church
in Goderich. Her homemade pies were legendary. She was also a charter
member of the local IODE Canada. She enjoyed theatre, book club, a
drumming circle and her Yoga practice.

While rooted in Goderich, her love of the unknown and desire to learn
meant many of her “retirement years” were spent visiting friends, family
and exploring new cultures across the world.
That taste for adventure was fostered when, at the age of seven, she
camped across the American west with her grandfather, Henry T. Bannon.

While exploring the globe was her passion, Marian was at her most
content when she was spending time with those close to her, at their
family cottage near Pointe au Baril.

Those cherished days included many quiet hours spent in her canoe,
accompanied by one of many beloved Cavalier King Charles Spaniels,
traversing channels that would become as familiar to her as the hands
holding the paddle.

Morning and afternoon swims, no matter what the weather, carried on
until the age of 98.
Fiercely independent, Marian lived alone for more than two decades at
the family farm, lugging wood from the cellar to keep limber, monitoring
local wildlife with the eyes of hawk and revelling in each sunset.
Those years were filled with tranquility and joy and made possible
through the support of her many family members, friends and the care and
attention she received in Goderich from both Dr. Stan Spacek and Dr. Jim
Hollingworth.

Marian’s family wants to extend their thanks and gratitude to the
dedicated professionals at The Elliott Community, in Guelph, where she
received exceptional care during the last years of her life.
A special thankyou to Adele, Marian’s support worker. Adele not only
cared for Marian but supported her family with a gentle and fun-loving
spirit.

As per Marian’s wishes, cremation has taken place. A private service
will be held at a later date. For those who wish to remember Marian
through a donation, please consider, The Elliott Community, in Guelph,
specifically “Staff Appreciation Fund”, the John Hindmarsh Environmental
Trust Fund, or a charity of your choice.

Condolences for the family of “HINDMARSH: Marian Ferguson”

Article printed from Haskett Funeral Homes | Dashwood, Exeter, Goderich, Lucan, & Seaforth Ontario: https://www.haskettfh.com

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