Obituary of Margaret Sharon Sauvey (Brettle)

Margaret Sharon Sauvey departed on a most deserved vacation on November 26, 2024. After 73 years of being our dedicated, committed, family jewel - our rock - Marg gets to rest.

Margaret entered the world on August 7, 1951, and from the moment she could walk, she became a nurturer. An older sister to Beverly, Jim and Murray, she honed the skills of being a listening ear, an active advocate, a best friend - and, when needed - a firm set of hands to nudge you into making better, sounder, kinder choice.

She had a multitude of skills, like most people do, but to those who knew her, Margaret’s achievements were not marked by the schools she attended, the jobs she worked or the places she lived. Margaret’s legacy is rooted in the way she made people feel - which was seen. Despite any of the obstacles tossed in the centre of her life, her shining virtue was her uncanny ability to let you know your hardships were real, your jokes were funny and that she cared about you. And if you did have the privilege of sitting around a table for a visit and tea, she would also let you know about her most prized gifts in life: her son Jeff, daughter Jenni, their spirited babies and their spirited babies.

Marg was widely known for the anecdotal stories of her grandchildren, Amanda, Jesse, Kara, Leavi and Elliot. She’d share them in a way that left the sound of her laughter hanging in the air around us. (Close your eyes and I bet you can still hear it.) She found no greater joy in life than the gifts her children gave her - Marg knew better than anyone that children should never be taken for granted. In fact, Marg had a firm grasp on the act of resiliency. She could do hard things - harder things than a mother should have to do, and yet, she met grief with grace.

She was not just our rock; she was our diamond; the matriarch who drew up the blueprints of how to be a family’s foundation. She held us up and now she gets to rest. She departed for her vacation without her partner, Barry, her son Jeff, her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, siblings, cousins, nieces and nephews - but she was met at the gate by her daughter, Jenni and her mother, Mary. (If you close your eyes, I bet you can hear them.)

Margaret will continue to be our beacon. We will see her in the streetlights on late summer nights, in the flowers we grow in our gardens, in the tea we share with our children, and in the tenderness, we witness on the faces of mothers who work to hold their children up.

In lieu of gifts, may we suggest modelling her genuine kindness (and pleasantly infect the world with it!) so her great-grandchildren, Leighton, Brinley, Zayden, Maddox, Chloe and Charlie can live in a world where they feel safe, valued and seen. Donations to St. Joseph’s Home, where Marg packed her bags in dignity surrounded by caring staff, would also be appreciated.