Margaret Spracklin

It is with great sadness that we announce that the sudden passing of Margaret Spracklin in St. Anthony, NL on May 6, 2023.  Margaret was born in Burnt Islands, NL in 1944.  She was the daughter of the late Maxwell and Ella King (nee Keeping). She leaves behind her sons: Jason (Karen) Spracklin and Mark Spracklin, and her daughter and best friend Leanne (Derrick) Spracklin and her Grand-daughter Lily Azizan.  As well siblings: Max (Jaqueline) King, Flora (Bert) Simms, Enid Strickland as well as many nieces and nephews.

Margaret grew up in Port-aux-Basques, NL and graduated from St. John’s General Hospital School of Nursing in 1964 and had a Nursing career which spanned 59 years.  She worked as a Nurse in Port-aux-Basques and St. John’s as well as Labrador.  Much of her later career was spent in Labrador where she was an invaluable, skilled, and compassionate Clinic Nurse to coastal residents especially those in Cartwright, Charlottetown, Rigolet and Mary’s Harbour.  Always up for an adventure, her eyes lit up when she spoke of skiing and snowmobiling in Labrador.  She was a Labradorian at heart.  Once she had a smoke and coffee, she was a force to be reckoned with and was known for her tireless patient advocacy.  She helped so many people as a Nurse and left the world a better place.

Margaret split her time between Labrador and Ottawa, Ontario where she lived with her daughter, son-in-law Derrick, grand-daughter Lily, and the dog Henry who she never admitted she liked.  Home was wherever she could relax with a diet coke and muffin, do her hair and watch Game of Thrones.  She was an amazing mother to Mark, Jason and Leanne and a proud loving grandmother to Lily.  We always knew she was there for us no matter what.  No matter what was going on, Margaret would tell you that everything was going to be ok and you believed it. 

Margaret loved to travel and see the world and her happy place was soaking up the sun on a beach whether it be in the Codroy Valley or the Caribbean.  She would often say “I’m getting bored now! Time to plan a trip!”.  She especially loved Florence, Italy and Gibraltar, UK and was able to return there one last time a few months before she passed.  She lived life to the fullest.

Beauty and class, she never went anywhere without her hair and makeup done and never missed a chance to dress to the nines.  She was beautiful inside and out.  She was happy, healthy, active, and still practicing nursing right upon until the day she died.  Margaret never wanted to suffer in old age and when it was her time, she went quickly and peacefully which was just how she would have wanted it.  She died as she lived on her own terms and with grace.  There will be a celebration of Life on Friday May 12 at 7 PM at Carnell’s Funeral Home, 329 Freshwater Road, St. John’s. Please note that Carnell’s is a nut free building, due to staff with a severe allergy.