Margaret Gauthier

Margaret Clark from Manchester, UK met her future husband while working as a volunteer helping the war wounded in the St. Dunstans Hospital, London. Arthur Gauthier was a soldier with the Canadian Expeditionary Force who had fought in Cambrai, France. Aurthur was drafted months before the end of WW1. He was admitted to the hospital with shrapnel injuries to both his eyes . The left eye was removed and his right eye had only 30 per cent functionality. Despite his disabilities Arthur and Margaret married in 1920 and she made her new home in Canada as a war bride with her husband. They lived in Van Kleek Hill, Ont. with Arthur s parents until 1926. Looking for greener pastures they packed up their family, now, with three kids( Irene, Agnes and Gerald) and decided to move to Montreal. Their family grew over the years adding three more children Dorothy, Alice and Phillip. In 1943 her only sister Jane died, a single mother, leaving two young boys George and Raymond Blanchard. Margaret took in her nephews and raised them as her own. In 1951 Arthur, in poor health died leaving his wife Margaret a widow at the age of 51. He was buried in Montreal s military section Mt.Royal Cemetery. Margaret survived on pensions and the support of her loving children. At the age of 90 Margaret died with dementia in Lachute, Que. In life Margaret was a gracious, kind and patient person.