Giffen, Marjorie Ellen (Spence, White) passed away peacefully
November 5th, 2014. Born March 12, 1923 in Springhill, NS, the
youngest of 12 children of the late George & Sarah (Fortune)
Spence.
Marjorie was educated at Springhill schools and in her teens
worked at Joe Winters Clothing Store & Stedmans in Springhill
and at the Canada Car Plant in Amherst. In 1942 Marjorie, along with
other Springhill girls went to Brownsburg Que., where she worked in a
war time plant as a bullet gauze operator. In 1943 she moved to
Brantford, Ont. to work as a Riveter on the (sub end) tail end of the
B29 Airplanes at the former Cockshutt Farm Implements plant. Returning
home in 1944, she met Roddie White and they married in 1945. They had
3 children, the first child died at 10 days old, but a daughter and
son were later born, well and healthy. Marjorie was employed at the
White Spot Restaurant, Jimmy Demetre's Candy Kitchen and the Canada
Post Office, in addition to being an Avon Representative. She was
president of the Cumberland Ladies Liberal Assoc. and president of the
Ladies Aux. of the Royal Cdn. Legion Branch 17 in 1960 and 1961.
Moving to Dartmouth in 1963, she was employed at Zellers and Revenue
Canada also for a short period of time. Then she wrote &
passed an exam and in 1971 she started working full time at the Dept.
of National Defence, Halifax. She also continued being an Avon
Representative and worked part-time at Woolworths and Woolco. Marjorie
and Roddie went their separate ways in 1978. Marjorie continued
working at the Dept. of National Defence where she met Stuart Giffen.
They married in 1984. She retired from her position at National
Defence the age of 71 in 1994 and retired from Avon in 2004 after 52
years.
Marjorie is survived by daughter Maureen (Ralph) Albert and
son Ricky (Sharon) White, grandchildren Ryan Albert; Nicole (Chris)
Dodge and Craig MacDonald.; great grandchildren Addison Dodge, Cohen
Dodge and Liam MacDonald and many nieces and nephews.
Besides her parents, she was predeceased by an infant son,
John William White; two sisters Jane & Viola, brothers Thomas,
Harry, Ralph, five siblings who passed away long before Marjorie was
born. In addition she was predeceased by Frank, Archie, William,
Joseph, Arthur (Kit) and Gerald. She was also predeceased by her first
husband, Roddie White and her second husband Stuart
Giffen.
Sincere gratitude and heart felt thanks to all the staff on
Conrod Lane at Bissett Court.
Arrangements have been entrusted to A H Brown Funeral Home, 5
McFarlane Street, Springhill, NS, (902 597 2361). In keeping
with Marjorie's wishes, cremation has taken place. A Funeral
of Remembrance will be held on Wednesday, November 12, 2014 at 1:00 pm
from A H Brown Funeral Home, Springhill, with The Reverend Wayne
McCarther officiating. Burial will follow beside her
parents, George and Sarah Spence and husband Stuart B. Giffen in
Hillside Cemetery, Springhill.
Condolences to the family may be made at
www.brownsfuneralhome.com or by visiting the funeral home Facebook
page.