Mary Louise MACGREGOR

1948 - 2019

MARY LOUISE MACGREGOR 1948 - 2019 Surrounded by her loving family, Mary passed away peacefully on Saturday, October 19th, after living with a progressive neurological illness for several years. Mary was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba on September 22, 1948; she was predeceased by her father, John Donald MacGregor and her mother, Mary Elizabeth Robinson. She is survived by her loving husband John Donald Rodger, her children Duncan and Caitlin, her siblings Daune Lorine MacGregor, Dru MacGregor Ball, and John Kelly MacGregor and a wonderfully large extended family with many nieces and nephews. After completing Law School at the University of Saskatchewan in 1972, Mary moved to Toronto to do her legal articles. Mary then practiced Trust and Estate law for 42 years at Crown Trust, and Blaney McMurtry Stapells, eventually joining a small and unique law firm - later to be known as Dickson MacGregor Appell. Her practice was exclusively in the areas of wills, estates, trusts, including native land claim trusts, family business planning, personal tax planning and estate litigation. She was a member and past president of the Estate Planning Council of Toronto, a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, and a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. Mary also lectured in estate and succession law at Osgoode Hall Law School and taught the estate planning and administration section of the Ontario Bar Admission course for the Law Society. She was the author of Preparation of Wills and Powers of Attorney: First Interview to Final Report, Third Edition (Canada Law Book), and was an editor of O'Briens Encyclopedia of Forms, Wills and Trusts Division V. Mary was a co-founder of the Center for Estate Mediation and was awarded the Ontario Bar Association Award for Excellence in Trusts and Estates in May 2011. Outside of her professional life, Mary was enthusiastic about many things, from skating and swimming to visual arts, and French cheeses. But, above all else, she was a lover of the written word and a voracious reader. It was exceedingly rare to find her relaxing without a book, magazine, or newspaper holding her attention and nearly impossible to gift Mary a book she had not already read. To Mary, a vacation did not officially begin until her feet were well supported, and a good book was in hand. Mary's other great passions were singing and tennis. While growing up in Saskatoon, Mary took part in many school musicals, sowing the seed for a lifelong love of music. Mary was famous for her incredible knowledge of popular songs; she could recall the entire lyrics of a song on hearing the first bar or on rare occasions, the first note - particularly if the song was from the 60s! Though her tune was sometimes questionable, her enthusiasm for singing was never in doubt. To witness Mary's passion for tennis, one only needed to be present during Wimbleton when Mary and John would be glued to the television. To them, the outside world would cease to exist as they gripped their seats by the thrill of each play. Her love of tennis was not restricted to that of just a spectator. Mary was an avid tennis player, enjoying weekly matches with some of her dearest friends over many years. Mary would go above and beyond whenever possible to support her family and friends in whatever was needed, a practice which she often extended to strangers as well. Her big heart brought joy to our lives and her wry sense of humour smiles to our faces. The family would like to thank the staff at Isabel and Arthur Meighen Manor, for their continuing and careful attention to Mary's needs in the last year of her life - and the needs of her family in her last days. Mary's wishes were that there should not be a funeral service but rather a gathering with her family, friends, and colleagues to celebrate her life. The celebration will be held on Sunday, November 3rd in Toronto. For further details please email marymacgregorcelebrationoflife@gmail.com In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the Writers' Trust of Canada, so that the work of Canadian authors may bloom and flourish in her memory. To donate, please visit: www.writerstrust.com