COULTER, Marjorie (Marnie) Annabelle Fraser (nee Russell); August 8, 1920 – Oct. 27, 2014. Peacefully at Bayridges Long Term Care in Pickering, surrounded by her family and caregivers in her 95th year. Born in Russellville, N.B., the only child of the late Col. James D. Russell and Vera Lillian Russell (nee Ferguson), Marnie was predeceased by her husband, James Simpson Coulter (1998), grandson Trevor Russell Lalonde (1983) and two faithful border terriers, Jake (1997) and Chipper (2013). Sorely missed by her children, Doug (Pat), Karen Russell (Don Pulfer), Chris Sammy (Donald), Patricia DeMarsh (Kim) and Kelsye (Paul Hennekens). Loving and generous grandmother to Jason, Brandon, Kyle, Laurie, Nicole, Stephanie, Patrick, Scott, Trevor, Teison, Erik, Phillip, Sarah and Aila. Proud great-grandmother to Cameron, Spencer, Ryan, Chasse, Chloe, Amelie, Alyssa, Stephan, Daniella, Pierre, Bennett, Elliott and Elizabeth. “Not bad for an only child, eh?” she’d often quip. Our mother died much more quietly than she lived. In life, there was no stopping her impish ways. During her younger days, it was painting her fathers’ toenails as he slept, just to amuse herself or frightening the workers at her family’s lumber mill when she’d play on the log booms in the Bartibog River and near the end of her life, teasing and keeping her caregivers on their toes. Marnie completed her nursing studies at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal in 1944 and while serving as an army nurse (Lt. Marjorie A.F. Russell, RN) during World War II, she met our Irish father, who told her he had been waiting for her all his life. Together, they lived in all of the Maritime Provinces and Quebec, before settling in Long Sault, Ontario, where Marnie taught at St. Lawrence College in Cornwall. Marnie and Jim retired to Elora in 1987. As he had carefully planned, by marrying a nurse 13 years his junior, Marnie lovingly cared for Jim until his death in 1998. Marnie spent her final years in Pickering, first living with her daughter Chris and Donald, and finally at Bayridges. Many thanks to all Marnie’s caregivers at Bayridges, Durham Community Care Day Program and to Jenny Jodhi, Gloria Dabideen and Belinda Brown, all who compassionately enriched our mother’s life. A Celebration of Marnie’s Life will be held at THE MCEACHNIE FUNERAL HOME 28 Old Kingston Rd., Ajax (905-428-8488) on Saturday, November 28, 2014 at 12 Noon. Visitation at the Funeral Home from 11 am Saturday. Online condolences and memorial contributions in memory of Marnie may be offered at www.mceachniefuneral.ca.
