Sister Margaret (Sr. St. David Marie) Harquail
Born In: Campbellton New Brunswick
Born: December 25th, 1920
Passed in: Sydney
Passed on: April 28th, 2015
Sister Margaret Harquail, died peacefully on Tuesday, April 28, 2015, at the CND Health Care Centre, Sydney.
Born in Campbellton, N.B., on Dec. 25, 1920, she was the daughter of the late David and Nora (Cripps).
Margaret entered the Congregation of Notre Dame in 1940 and made profession in August, 1942. She began her teaching career in Mabou, N.S., where for 14 years she directed the high school business program. Following that she moved to Antigonish and served as bursar at Mount Saint Bernard College while continuing her studies at St. FX. In 1962 she moved to Montreal and undertook the supervision of the construction of several major CND institutions. Margaret was the first female to graduate from the master of business administration program at Queens University in Kingston. Upon graduation she returned to Nova Scotia, joining the staff at Xavier College in Sydney, where she would remain as a prominent member of the university community until leaving the institution in 1990.
A pioneer on many fronts, Sister Harquail founded the Saint Francis Xavier College’s School of Business, Sydney Campus. She then went on to establish the School of Business Administration at the UCCB, as well as the Canadian Institute of Management certificate program. Sister Margaret was instrumental in establishing the College of Cape Breton as a university, forming the Centre for Human and Organizational Development (Venture Concepts). She was the founder of Women’s World Finance in 1989, the first Canadian affiliate of Women’s World Banking. On Oct. 27, 2012, Cape Breton University recognized Sister Margaret as a pioneer, visionary and builder, in a ceremony dedicating the garden space between the Shannon School of Business Building and the Verschuren Centre, in her memory.
In her lifetime as a member of the Congregation of Notre Dame, Sister Margaret displayed a passion for teaching, particularly championing women’s rights in society. Her life of service was carried out with an extraordinary sense of purpose, ingenuity and untiring dedication.
In 2011, due to declining health, Margaret was admitted to the CND Health Care Center where she was lovingly cared for by the staff from MacGillivray Guest Home.
Sister Margaret was the last surviving member of her immediate family. She was predeceased by sisters Norine, Edith, Helen and Mary, and by brothers Frank, Ralph, David, James and Gerald. She is survived by sister-in-law Ginette Harquail and by numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation for Sister Margaret will be held Sunday, May 3, from 2-4, 7-9 p.m. at T.W. Curry Parkview Chapel, Sydney, with a prayer service at 7:30 p.m. Funeral mass will be celebrated on Monday at 2:30 p.m. at St. Marguerite Bourgeoys Church, Sydney, with Rev. Bill Burke officiating. Interment will be in Resurrection Cemetery, Sydney Forks.
Online condolences may be sent to www.twcurry.com.
