Mrs Marjorie Elizabeth Goodfellow
Sherbrooke, 26 octobre 2024
Goodfellow, Marjorie Elizabeth
1938 – 2024
Died in her home in Sherbrooke, Quebec, on October 26, 2024, at the age of 86.
Born and raised in Sherbrooke, Marjorie was the only child of the late Edgar M. Goodfellow and the late Annie Jean McElrea. An eager young student, Marjorie persuaded her parents to let her start school early, which was not a problem with a one-room country schoolhouse down the road from where she grew up, lived most of her life, and died.
She graduated from Bishop’s University (History Honours) and McGill University (Library Science). She worked briefly in Ottawa in the library of Citizenship and Immigration Canada before taking positions in Montreal, the last in the library of Sir George Williams University.
After the death of her father in 1971, Marjorie returned to Sherbrooke to manage family properties. She remained active in the library world for several years as a library consultant. In the later years of her working life, she did genealogical research for clients as well as on her own family history, publishing and speaking on those topics.
A founding member and early president of Townshippers’ Association, Marjorie wrote and delivered briefs to the provincial and federal governments and spoke to media provincially and nationally on the status of the English-speaking minority in Quebec society. Health care being a vital aspect of daily life in a minority community, it became one of her major interests. Marjorie was publicly elected to the board of directors of the Sherbrooke university hospital system, known as the CHUS then the CUSE—the fifth largest medical centre in Quebec—serving in the volunteer capacity for 13 years. As well, the Quebec government chose her to represent the Eastern Townships on a provincial committee—the Comité provincial pour la prestation de services de santé et de services sociaux en langue anglaise—to advise the minister of health on service issues in the English-speaking community. Committee members chose her as their president, and she served in that capacity for two extended terms.
Marjorie’s interest in history was not omitted from her volunteer commitments. She was on the board of the Société d’histoire de Sherbrooke for many terms and had a long-term interest in the Eastern Townships Resource Centre, where she served in many capacities. She spoke, published, and was interviewed on local history. She did not neglect her Bishop’s University alma mater, serving on its corporation for two terms.
Marjorie enjoyed travel and visited many foreign lands, including Turkey and Iceland as the most exotic. She returned to Scotland, England, and France many times. It was her regret that travel by air became too taxing for her ageing body. She attended concerts and theatre with pleasure. However, reading was her most frequent leisure activity.
Marjorie had many cousins who will miss her. Her friends and colleagues were also precious to her. In lieu of a funeral, Marjorie asked that a private social event be held so that she could say farewell to them all, in absentia. It will be held at Bishop’s University, Cleghorn Room, from 1:30 to 4 p.m. on November 23, with memories shared at 2:30 p.m.
If desired, donations to the following causes in her memory would have pleased Marjorie:
- Université de Sherbrooke foundation to support the work of Dr. François Lamontagne or that of Dr. David Fortin,
- A special fund to create a chair of English Quebec Studies, or
- Bishop’s University Foundation.
Services entrusted to the Steve L. Elkas Funeral Home, 4230 Bertrand-Fabi, Sherbrooke, QC, J1N 1X8, 819-565-1155, www.steveelkas.com.
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Judy Hagen DiMarco
Dear Family and Friends,I am so sad to discover that Marjorie has passed away. My condolences to all who know her. Marjorie was my second cousin and first cousin to my mother, Leila Walters Hagen. Marjorie's father, Edgar Goodfellow, was brother to my grandmother, Hilda Goodfellow Walters. We always laughed that my mother was 15 years older than Marjorie, and Marjorie was 15 years older than me.
My first memory of Marjorie was as a child of 5 years or so, when my grandmother, mother, father and I visited the farm in Sherbrooke at Christmas time. It was so exciting sledding on the hills in the morning, with glistening sun on the snow and the church bells ringing in the distance. And I thought Marjorie was beautiful. I wanted to be just like her!
Later, as a adult, my then husband and I and our 2 sons visited Marjorie at the farm one summer. It was wonderful being with her in person, hearing about her work in family geneology and at the university, learning about speaking French and visiting several of our ancestors in the graveyards of Valcartier.
The last 10 years or so Marjorie and I kept in touch via email - usually around our birthdays. My last email from Marjorie was in June around her birthday, and she told me about her book. If you would send information as to how I could get a copy, I would surely appreciate it. My email address is [email protected]
Wishing all of Marjorie's family and friends comfort and encouraging all of us to savour the memories. There are many. I will miss my Marjorie and the wonderful connection she gave me to my family history.
Love to all!
Judy DiMarco
Judy Hagen DiMarco
2 March 2025