January 17, 1934 - December 14, 2023
Please join us in celebrating the remarkable life of Margo Hansen, even as we mourn her passing.
Margo (née Margaret Ethel Kneale) was a woman who loved deeply and was deeply loved throughout her 90 years on earth. She was an independent spirit, animal lover, avid reader, loyal friend, beloved daughter, sister, aunt, wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
Born in Enderby, B.C., Margo’s deep blue eyes lit up the lives of her parents, Alice and Tom Kneale. She led a storybook childhood, filled with love and adventure, alongside her little brother, John, lifelong friend Marie (Stickland), cousins David,
Vera and Velma, and family dogs, Derry and Danny Boy.
In 1955, Margo completed her RN in Kamloops and worked in Enderby, Revelstoke and Victoria. Her early memories were equally sweet and shocking – she recalled how in her first surgery, a leg amputation, the surgeon produced a hand saw and demanded that she ‘grab one end and get to work.’ Whether ailing children or old soldiers, a polio epidemic or irascible doctors, Margo took pride in delivering exceptional care, while always looking stylish in a starched white dress, nursing cap and cape.
Margo joined the Canadian Air Force on a whim in 1960 – a decision that would prove fateful. Stationed in Bagotville, Quebec, she caught the eye of a young fighter pilot named Cliff Hansen. As he tells it, she was out of his league, but Cliff’s steady nature, strong family values, and love for the natural world soon won her over. They were married in Enderby on Dec. 28, 1961, a union that would stay true for 62 years, with Cliff at her side to the end.
Margo was clever, complex, and kind, fun, funny, adventurous, poetic and, at times, pointedly honest. She enjoyed a glass of wine, books of every genre, the color purple. She knew the difference between a first cousin twice removed and a second cousin. She never met a stray dog or cat that she did not want to bring home.
Margo and Cliff moved to Canmore in 1990, and to Exshaw in 1996, following a nomadic life that took them across Canada and overseas to Germany, Italy and Belgium. Margo made friends everywhere she went and kept them close. In her late 40s, she earned a diploma in Early Childhood Development and managed childcare centers in Cold Lake and Calgary. She worked at the Canmore Veterinary Hospital and knew the names of every pet in town by heart. Of all her roles, though, Margo cherished most being Mom to Johanne (Joe), Karen (Dave), Neil (Anna), and Darah (Damian); Nana to Jason (Leah), Corie (Jessie), Nicole, Alison, Stephanie and Bridget; and a GG-ma to Jordan and Ethan.
Family was Margo’s greatest joy, and she leaves behind a powerful legacy that will be forever treasured. Until we meet again.
The Hansen family, near and far, would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Kim Sargent and to the nurses and staff at Golden Eagle View in Canmore for their exceptional care of Margo during her final months. In her memory, please consider making a donation to the SPCA or an animal shelter of your choice.
