Marlyn Pigg
1934 - 2016
Marlyn Dawn Pigg, beloved wife of the late Myron Pigg, passed away in Taber on Wednesday, November 9, 2016 at the age of 82 years.
Relatives and friends were invited to meet with the family at Southland Funeral Chapel, 5006 - 48 Avenue, Taber on Sunday, November 13, 2016 between 4:00 P.M. and 5:00 P.M. A burial service was held at the Virden Cemetery, Virden, Manitoba, where Marlyn was laid to rest with her late husband Myron Pigg.
Marlyn is survived by her children Blake (Anita) Johnston of Winnipeg, Brad (Jolene) Johnston of Hinton and Dawn (Barry) Senkow of Taber; grandchildren Thomas Johnston, Taryn (Wade) Joblonkay, Travis (Mandy) Senkow and Tessa (Stefan) Bakoway; great grandchildren Nash Joblonkay, Skylar Joblonkay (to arrive at any moment), sister Donna Gray, uncle Ken MacNeill as well as nieces, nephews and numerous step grandchildren and step great grandchildren.
She was predeceased by her husband Myron Pigg, parents Tom and Jean Blakeman and sister June Mayer.
Marlyn was born in the Hargrave/Wallace area of Manitoba on August 11, 1934. She grew up on a farm with her parents Tom and Jean Blakeman and two sisters June and Donna. From the moment she was born she had a special fondness for animals especially ponies, which grew into an insatiable passion to breed and raise welsh ponies, as well as other animals such as beagle hounds, Arabian horses, Siamese cats and saanen goats. But by far, her favorite were the welsh ponies of which many became champions of the breed and were her absolute pride and joy. As a family we felt she was the original horse whisperer. In her teen years she raced horses from the Kings Ranch in Texas. She then went on to attend the University of Manitoba Arts Program.
Marlyn had three children, Blake, Brad and Dawn with her first husband. She later married Myron Pigg and together they bred and raised the animals she was fond of, on a few different hobby farms in Manitoba, namely Selkirk, and Richer. While in Richer they had farm tours which they enjoyed sharing all their baby animals with hundreds of inner-city children. In the early nineties, when her husband Myron retired from twenty five years at Canada Post, they moved to an acreage in Virden, where they had both grown up. They continued to breed, raise and show welsh ponies until the death of her husband in 2006. Shortly after his death Marlyn moved into her new home on her daughter and son-in-law’s acreage, with her dog Buddy her loyal companion. Marlyn loved to call her little piece of earth here in Taber her Secret Garden or Robin’s Lane. Throughout her life Marlyn made many life-long friends through her warm personality and passion of raising animals. She had a great sense of humor and always made you feel like you were the most important person in the room when she spoke to you. Marlyn was loved by all who met her and was the kind of person that you just wanted to be her friend no matter the age difference. She had best friends young and old near and far.
Some of her hobbies were going to fairs and horse shows, photography (she won many photo contests for her photos of ponies), playing cards with friends, playing on her computer and iPhone, fishing and most recently in her life, she loved to hang out with her two year old great grandson, Nash. Marlyn also enjoyed fishing with her grandchildren and son-in-law. She loved to phone up friends and family, and talk like there was not a minute between the last time she saw or talked to them. She was also a very creative person and found in the last year of her life, that colouring was a wonderful way to relax. She will be lovingly remembered.
If friends so desire, memorial tributes in Marlyn’s name may be made directly to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Alberta, Box 2211, Lethbridge, Alberta T1J 4K7 or the Humane Society, P.O. Box 783, Lethbridge, Alberta T1J 3Z6.