On Sunday September 13th, 2020, the day of rest, Marjorie Claire Linton (nee Haley), the cherished and beloved mother to Ross, Blair, Nancy, and Lorne was called to move onto her eternal resting place in heaven.
In January of 1927, Marjorie was born in Basswood Ridge as the youngest child to Arthur S. and Margaret Haley. She attended the one room schoolhouse in Basswood Ridge which was later purchased by her sister Helen and now owned by her niece Shirley became known as "Schools Out". After this, Marjorie moved to town and attended Miss Crabbe’s Business School. Mum told me many a time that when she attended Business College that Miss Crabbe would often remark to her that, "Your sister Marion, would never do work like that". Upon graduation, Marjorie’s first job was at the Garcelon Stamp Company. She then worked at the Chipman Memorial Hospital and the Charlotte County Hospital. Somewhere during this time, she met a man named Boyd Linton. Mum said Dad would tease her that she had grown up on "Backwood Ridge". Boyd and Marjorie were married at the Kirk McColl United Church in 1951 and then moved to Scotch Ridge. Boyd and Marjorie were not blessed early in their married years with children, but instead they chose to adopt their three oldest children, Ross, Blair, and Nancy. Their youngest Lorne came as a great surprise not thinking they would ever have any children of their own. Marjorie returned to work at Charlotte County Hospital when Lorne started school and worked there until her retirement. Family, church, and community were Marjorie’s passions. She was a lifelong member of the United Church of Canada and the UCW. The church and hall at Scotch Ridge were blessed by having her as a member whose hard work, determination, and organizational skills kept the community going and flourishing for years. She organized many a church supper, settlers’ fairs and other community events.
Marjorie’s favorite singer was Daniel O’Donnell. Marjorie and her daughter Nancy went to nine of his concerts from as close as Saint John to as far as Montreal and Pennsylvania. Marjorie knew every detail there was to know about Daniel. She and Nancy even waited once for two plus hours to get another picture with Daniel. Marjorie had every book, DVD and CD that Daniel produced.
Large gardens, cooking, baking, pickling, haying and doing firewood were a necessity to living in the country which Marjorie did actively until she was 85. At 85, Marjorie contracted a severe infection leading to many more health complications but overcame and was known as "Lazarus" by which many of her doctors would call her as she should have never survived. Obviously, she was meant to live on and be able to enjoy her great grandchildren. Many would reflect on Marjorie regarding her baking of whoopie pies, carrot cake, chicken pot pie, baked beans, chocolate cake with brown sugar boiled icing, and bread to be auctioned off at very high prices that Marjorie never thought her cooking deserved such praise. Marjorie’s home was a place where many family members often enjoyed meals with often as many as 30 plus in attendance.
Another one of Marjorie’s passions was The Order of the Eastern Star. She was a lifetime member of the Milltown and St Stephen Chapters of OES where she shared many a lodge meeting and affiliate events with her husband Boyd, her brother’s Philip, Douglas and Ralph, son Lorne, and daughter Nancy.
In later years, Marjorie’s pride and joy were her grandchildren, Haley, Casey, Helene, Chris, Claire, and Evan. As time moved on the great grandchildren came: Azalea, Delilah, Ava, Kade, Lillian and Adler. Known as Mamie, she spent many hours with her grandchildren enjoying movies of the Beverly Hillbillies, I Love Lucy, Bugs Bunny, and the Disney Classics to name a few. All the grandchildren had a very special place in her heart.
At the age of 93, Marjorie’s body gave her one last unexpected blow to fight, but this last fight could not be conquered, and it was time to go home to be with her beloved husband Boyd and siblings.
Resting at The S.O. Mehan & Son Funeral Home Ltd., 23 Main St., St. Stephen, NB from where a funeral service will be held on Thursday, September 17, 2020 at 2:00 PM. Visiting hours will be held at the funeral home from 6 – 8 PM on Wednesday evening.
The Order of the Eastern Star will conduct a service Wednesday evening at 8:00 PM.
Interment at Scotch Ridge United Church Cemetery, Scotch Ridge, NB.
Marjorie had many charitable organizations that she supported. Kindness is the language the deaf can hear, and the blind can see. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Scotch Ridge Cemetery Fund or an organization of one’s choice.
Due to the ongoing government restrictions of Covid 19, we require that you wear a mask during your time in the funeral home and be mindful of social distancing.