Marjorie Ellen Giffen (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 were entrusted to A H Brown Funeral Home, 5 McFarlane Street, Springhill, NS, (902 597 2361). In keeping with Marjorie's wishes, cremation took place. A Funeral of Remembrance was held on Wednesday, November 12, 2014 at 1:00 pm from A H Brown Funeral Home, Springhill,