Margaret Cruickshank

Margaret Cruickshank (born 19 January 1909) is a British-Canadian supercentenarian who is currently unvalidated by the Gerontology Research Group

Biography
Margaret Cruickshank was born on January 19, 1909, in Dover, England, United Kingdom. She immigrated to Canada with her parents and three sisters at the age of four. She married and had three children: the eldest son David Cruickshank (born 1937) and two other sons, one born in 1940 and the other in 1948. She never worked outside the home, instead dedicating her life to raising her children. Son David Cruickshank described her parenthood as follows: "When you think of all the books that are written now and psychiatrists and psychologists that are employed to help people raise their children, my mother was very simple,” he said. “Do as you’re told, eat what’s on your plate, say please and thank you, have a firm handshake, with eye contact, be on time, and always be courteous and polite.”

In the early 1980s, Margaret Cruickshank helped found the Lunch by George drop-in lunch program that runs out of St. George’s Cathedral in Kingston. The program served sandwiches, and later hot soups and casseroles each weekday to anyone who needed a little help. According to St. George’s Cathedral’s website, the program served over 120,000 meals in 2012 and is the only downtown free food provider in Kingston. Reportedly, she went to church every Sunday she was able, and when the cathedral needed a heating system, she did everything she could to help out. She also had an undying love of the British royal family and watched Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding live on 3 AM Canadian time.

At age 107, she fractured her hip and the doctors were certain she’d never walk again; however, using her walker, Cruickshank was still able to walk short distances on her 108th birthday. For her 108th birthday party, The Rosewood Retirement Residencein Kingston held a party for Margaret, with live music and 108 roses for her to distribute to her fellow residents and guests. She had at least 15-20 family and friends come to the party, along with most of the residents at The Rosewood.

When asked to describe his mother in one word, her son David chose "indomitable", saying his mother was the sort of person who did not give up, nor lower the standards she had in place for herself.

On 19 January 2019, Margaret Cruickshank turned 110. She celebrated her 110th birthday at the St. George’s Cathedral one day after.