Margaret Gail Rogers

Margaret Gail Rogers (Gail) passed away peacefully at home on November 9th, 2023, with her family by her side after a brief battle with cancer.

Gail is predeceased by her beloved parents (Archibald Lee and Grace Cameron) and her first child, Cameron. She leaves behind Blythe, her husband of 63 years, and children Jennifer (partner Peter and grandchild Lazlo) and Angus (partner Vanessa and grandkids Cameron, Blythe and Coco).

Gail burst onto the Kerrisdale scene in the mid 1950's in white bucks and bobby socks, with Sh-boom Sh-boom playing in the background. Gail's house was the local hub, with her father Lee being the West Coast rep for Taylor Pearson and Carson, accordingly having the first TV and HiFi on the block. Gail truly enjoyed her time at Magee High School with a cadre of girlfriends that would stay close for the rest of their days.

Gail spent time at both UBC and BCIT, followed by a secretarial position at the Architectural Center (of BC) in keeping with her love of art and design. Meeting future husband, and aspiring industrial designer, Blythe Rogers would further that love (in more ways than one). In 1960 the two would marry, raising three children in the next six years in the oldest house in Vancouver, the former McCleery farmhouse. The times were a-changing and Gail was changing right along with them. As the late 60's moved into the early 70’s, and the Equal Rights movement emerged, and Watergate highlighted the hypocrisy of the day, Gail's political and societal mores were being honed.

Gail took a full time position as the Executive Director of the Crafts Association of BC, promoting and supporting crafts people across the province, and spearheading the organization's move to Granville Island. After 17 years, Gail retired from the CABC in 1990 (and with the blessing of husband Blythe) celebrated with a grand tour of Europe and North Africa with daughter Jennifer. Though travel would continue to be important to Gail, with trips to China, India, Argentina, Syria, Iran, Vietnam, Japan (to name a few of the countries she visited), Gail did take the position as president of The Canadian Craft Museum, helping to coordinate exhibitions, fundraising events and general operations.

Gail would continue to be an incredible volunteer, drawing on her ever-present interest in plants, serving as a FOG with the University of British Columbia Botanical Garden. Latter years were spent enjoying grandchildren, improving the golf swing she started at 14, and making her own personal garden a place of tranquility and beauty enjoyed by many.

Gail will be remembered as a loving mother and daughter, a committed wife, a special friend, a dedicated grandmother, an aesthetic aficionado, a passionate pundit, a natural golfer and generally speaking, a completely engaged person who believed in hard work balanced with good fun. All of us will miss her forevermore. Snowdrop celebration to be held in February to be announced in January 2024.

Gail sends big thanks to her gifted care team including Doctors Hayaty, Oldani, Chow, Wang and Rance, as well as her dear nurse/friends Joanne, Deirdre and Elizabeth