Margaret Irene Block

70, passed away peacefully at home while surrounded by her loving family on November 14, 2018 after a short but intense battle with acute leukaemia. She was diagnosed with this disease only nine days before God took her home. A woman of deep faith and constant prayer, she was the loving mother of Jennifer, Philip (Andrea), and Dale (Dawn), and “Grammy” to her grandchildren, Ella (18), Ava (16), Judah (14), Sophia (12), and Annie (10).

Born in Coaldale, AB and raised on a farm outside of Tofield, AB, Marg was the daughter of two Mennonite immigrants, John and Amalie Baerg. She is survived by her mother Amalie, aged 99 years, an enormous extended family, and all of her siblings: Elvera, Loretta (Don), Marlene (Harry), Dick(Clarice), Dorothy (Garry), Alice (Jeff), and Wes (Ruth).

Marg’s life changed forever in 1967 while attending Bethany Bible Institute in Hepburn, SK, when she met Ben Block, who would become her confidante, best friend, and the love of her life. Ben and Marg married in 1969 and enjoyed forty-six years of committed and passionate marriage. They lived in Edmonton from 1969 until 1973 before moving to Tofield, AB to run the Baerg family farm. Their daughter Jennifer was born in Edmonton, and their oldest son Philip was born two years later while they lived on the Tofield farm. In 1978, the family of four moved to Lloydminister, AB where Marg’s youngest son, Dale, was born in 1978. In 1980, the family of five relocated to Red Deer, AB.

It was in Red Deer that Marg and her family spent their formative family years. Marg became deeply involved in church, developed a vibrant circle of close friends, and established a cozy home and safe nest for her growing children. Although she worked at various part-time jobs over the years, including a notable investment with the Logos Bible Bookstore, her heart was always with raising her kids and surrounding them with love. For this we are forever thankful.

In 2009, Ben and Marg took on the biggest adventure of their lives when they sold their house in Red Deer, packed up their belongings, and moved to Lower Sackville, NS, in order to be near children and grandchildren, and to enjoy their newly discovered passion: the beauty of the maritime landscape and culture. They drove anywhere and everywhere, discovering rugged coastlines, quaint harbours, local markets, and homey restaurants. Once again, Marg transformed her house into another cozy home.

In the East, Marg cultivated a close-knit group of devoted friends. We are thankful to these friends, and her long-time friends and family from the West for their continual love, prayers, and support of her. As her family, we will be forever grateful for Marg’s remarkable example of what it means to be a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. More than anything, Marg loved her Lord, Jesus Christ. We mourn her passing with deep sadness but rejoice that she is in the presence of her Lord and Saviour. Marg and her late husband both suffered from blood conditions. In lieu of donations and flowers, please consider giving blood to your local blood donor clinic (https://www.blood.ca/donate).

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