Jean Maisie Macpherson

Jean Maisie Macpherson lived a long and adventurous life. Born in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan in Canada, she moved with her family, as an infant, to the farm in Leask, Saskatchewan. There her formative years were filled with small chores, fun and freedom. In the evening, after the chores were done, the family of three brothers and mother and father would sit in the 'great room' and read. Jean taught herself to read at four so she could join in those quiet hours of family time. Her brothers were very mechanically inclined and taught Jean the way of early motors. By the time she was ten she could break down an electric motor and put it quickly back together. She also enjoyed watching the crop-dusting airplanes fly over the large Saskatchewan wheat farms and vowed to learn to fly. She did just that, getting her pilot's license at fifteen years of age.
When the Second World War broke out her brothers all signed up for various branches of the service. At seventeen Jean too went to the recruiting office but was initially turned away for being too young. But when the recruiting officer saw that she could fly she was immediately called back, and sent to Nova Scotia for basic training. After basic training she was sent back to Saskatchewan where she served as a test pilot and pilot trainer. She also obtained a degree in Home Economics from the University of Winnipeg.
When the war was over Jean married her high school boyfriend, C. Donald Macpherson, also a war veteran. The two had five children, whom they raised in Prince Albert.
During those years Jean worked as a writer and editor of the 'Women's Page' for the Prince Albert Daily Herald. Eventually Jean changed the name of that part of the newspaper to the 'Lifestyle Section'.
When the first television station opened in Prince Albert, Jean was recruited as a writer for CKBI where she eventually created and hosted one of the first afternoon talk shows in Canada. Some years later Donald was transferred to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Jean took a job as a Lifestyle writer for the Saskatoon Star Phoenix, where she worked until she retired.
After Donald died Jean spent her time with her children and grandchildren spending the winter months with her daughter Laurie in Virginia Beach, and summer months with daughter Barbara Reyelts in Duluth. She also fulfilled her wish to travel the world.
In Duluth, Jean was an active member of the Duluth Scottish Heritage Association, attending all the Scottish events, including her grandchildren's Highland Dance competitions.
She loved her "wee cottage" on Park Point and made lasting friendships. She was a member of the Park Point Garden Club and volunteered at First Lutheran Church.
Jean lived independently until just after her 100th birthday. After that her health determined that she move to a nursing home where she lived in the Veterans Wing of the Sherbrooke Community Center in Saskatoon, where she died peacefully in her sleep.
Jean is survived by four of her five children, Hugh (Susan), Barbara (Steve) Laurie (Dale), and Morag. (David died in 1998) She's also survived by nine grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.