Margaret Ruth Clark (née Hills), born on 20 January 1946 in Toronto, Canada, passed away peacefully on 27 December 2025 at the age of 79 surrounded by family. The fifth daughter of George Angus and Eva Margaret, she was a devoted wife, mother, mentor, and friend whose kindness, strength, ingenuity, and positivity touched everyone who knew her.

She is survived by her loving husband Martyn John Clark, her five daughters Julia Arwen, Rachel Pauline, Christina Rose, Esther Merle, and Leah Ruth and ten grandchildren. Margaret will be remembered for her deep devotion to family and God, her generous and adventurous spirit, her award-winning contributions to sail training in Canada and the joy she brought to those around her.

Margaret’s life was rich with creativity, service and love. She trained and worked as a registered nurse in Toronto before joining her husband Martyn on many adventures around the world. Her home, whether on sailing ships or restored historic houses, was warm and welcoming, filled with the aroma of fresh bread and the joy of simple pleasures like music and books. She embraced life with an adventurous spirit as a pioneering mother of five in Canada’s Pacific Northwest.

Margaret loved exploring the world with dexterity and humility whether on family trips across India and Asia or co-piloting long boats in the canals of Europe. Her groundbreaking spirit and her ingenuity naturally earned her the name “MacGyver” among the student trainees of S.A.L.T.S. (Sail and Life Training Society) where she served as the inspiration, figurehead, first mate, ham radio operator and ship’s nurse on early offshore voyages of the topsail schooner Pacific Swift.

From sewing sails to mending physical and emotional wounds, Margaret served with love, never too busy to roll up her sleeves or to express a kind word or to prepare a comforting cup of tea. She was a mentor to many inspiring a deeply personal and real connection to God and the teachings of the Bible.

A service to celebrate Margaret’s life will be announced later when plans are finalized.

Margaret will be deeply missed but forever remembered in our hearts and stories as first mate, the M in M&M, co-leader of the 7Cs, the mother of many and a steadfast positive influence on all those who sailed with her.

~ Godspeed ~

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