Menu
Search by Name
Search by Name
BORN
August 16, 1913
DIED
July 09, 2017
MARGARET CUTT Obituary
Margaret Nancy Cutt (nee Davis) died peacefully on July 9, 2017 at 103 years of age. The eldest daughter of Telford T. and Hilda M. Davis, she was born on August 16, 1913 at Strathmore, Alberta. She is survived by her brother Ron (Hellen) and their children, Jim, Linda, John (Rhonda) and Bob (Robyn) and their descendants as well as her nieces, Pat (Pete) and Peggy and their children and grandchildren. Nancy was predeceased by her husband, William Towrie Cutt, her parents, Telford and Hilda Davis, two of her brothers, Arthur and John as well as her sisters, Hilda Joan Davis MacKinnon and Helen Ruth Davis Koehler.
Nancy grew up on a farm near Kathryn Alberta. At age 18, during the Depression, she attended Normal School in Calgary, and began teaching at Dalroy Public School in 1932 as repayment to the Delacour Community Club, which had contributed to her Normal School training. In 1936, she began teaching in Armada, a small Alberta town of which she had very fond memories. By 1942 she had saved $400 to attend the University of Alberta, and supplemented her savings by teaching summer school and working as a marker for Dr. R. K. Gordon who also became her mentor and friend. In April 1943 she joined the Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service and worked in Naval Intelligence in Halifax. In November 1945, after she was discharged from the Navy, she returned to the University of Alberta where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts (1946) and Master of Arts (1949) degrees.
In Edmonton she met her future husband, William (Bill) Towrie Cutt and they married on May 15, 1948. Bill and Nancy remained in Edmonton, teaching at the Correspondence School. In 1951-2, they went to Kelso, Scotland where Bill taught as part of an Alberta Teachers exchange. They travelled throughout Britain, including Bill's childhood home of Sanday in the Orkney Islands, returning there as often as they could. In the late 1950s, Nancy taught at the University of Alberta until moving to Victoria in 1963, to teach Children's Literature at the University of Victoria until her retirement in 1978. In his 70's, Bill began writing about his childhood in the Orkneys and early Orcadians and Natives in Western Canada. Nancy wrote two books about children's literature: Mrs. Sherwood and Her Books for Children (1974) and Ministering Angels (1979). Bill and Nancy collaborated on The Hogboon of Hell and other strange Orkney Tales (1979).
Bill and Nancy volunteered together at Christ Church Cathedral for many years until Bill's death in 1981. Nancy travelled extensively with her sister, Joan and enjoyed good health until fairly recently and loved to read until the end of her life.
The family express appreciation for those (We Care and St. Charles Manor) who assisted her. A Prayer Service for Nancy will be held at Christ Church Cathedral on August 16th, 2017 at 1:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers (Nancy's request), a donation can be made to a charitable organization of choice.
Nancy grew up on a farm near Kathryn Alberta. At age 18, during the Depression, she attended Normal School in Calgary, and began teaching at Dalroy Public School in 1932 as repayment to the Delacour Community Club, which had contributed to her Normal School training. In 1936, she began teaching in Armada, a small Alberta town of which she had very fond memories. By 1942 she had saved $400 to attend the University of Alberta, and supplemented her savings by teaching summer school and working as a marker for Dr. R. K. Gordon who also became her mentor and friend. In April 1943 she joined the Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service and worked in Naval Intelligence in Halifax. In November 1945, after she was discharged from the Navy, she returned to the University of Alberta where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts (1946) and Master of Arts (1949) degrees.
In Edmonton she met her future husband, William (Bill) Towrie Cutt and they married on May 15, 1948. Bill and Nancy remained in Edmonton, teaching at the Correspondence School. In 1951-2, they went to Kelso, Scotland where Bill taught as part of an Alberta Teachers exchange. They travelled throughout Britain, including Bill's childhood home of Sanday in the Orkney Islands, returning there as often as they could. In the late 1950s, Nancy taught at the University of Alberta until moving to Victoria in 1963, to teach Children's Literature at the University of Victoria until her retirement in 1978. In his 70's, Bill began writing about his childhood in the Orkneys and early Orcadians and Natives in Western Canada. Nancy wrote two books about children's literature: Mrs. Sherwood and Her Books for Children (1974) and Ministering Angels (1979). Bill and Nancy collaborated on The Hogboon of Hell and other strange Orkney Tales (1979).
Bill and Nancy volunteered together at Christ Church Cathedral for many years until Bill's death in 1981. Nancy travelled extensively with her sister, Joan and enjoyed good health until fairly recently and loved to read until the end of her life.
The family express appreciation for those (We Care and St. Charles Manor) who assisted her. A Prayer Service for Nancy will be held at Christ Church Cathedral on August 16th, 2017 at 1:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers (Nancy's request), a donation can be made to a charitable organization of choice.
Published by The Times Colonist from Aug. 15 to Aug. 17, 2017.