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Hamilton philanthropist Margaret Juravinski dies at age 91

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Hamilton philanthropist Margaret Juravinski has died at the age of 91, just over one year since the passing of her husband and successful businessman Charles.

St. Joseph’s Villa Foundation said in a statement Thursday that Margaret passed away on Tuesday.

“Margaret wanted to make people’s lives better,” said John Woods, president of St. Joseph’s Villa in Dundas.

“She cared about our residents and clients, and she was a cheerleader for our staff and volunteers.”

The couple has made considerable donations to health-care providers in Hamilton, most notably the establishment of a state-of-the-art cancer care facility at the former Henderson General Hospital, which is now the Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Centre.

Margaret’s relationship with St. Joseph’s Villa began when her mother became a resident there in the 1990s.

In appreciation of the care her mother received throughout her 10 years at the long-term care home, the Juravinski’s gifted $5 million in 2002 to support its redevelopment.

In 2016, Margaret and Charles donated $2 million for palliative care on the St. Joseph’s Villa campus. It was then named Margaret’s Place Hospice in honour of Margaret in September 2021.

“Nearly four years later, the Juravinski’s saw their generosity come full circle as it cared for Charles in the final days of his life,” said Don Davidson, president and CEO of St. Joseph’s Villa Foundation.

READ MORE: Charles and Margaret Juravinski pledge $100M for health research in Hamilton

The couple also created an endowment in 2019 of more than $100 million to support researchers across Hamilton Health Sciences, McMaster University and St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton.

The estate gift is one of Canada’s largest-ever legacy gifts and will provide up to $5 million a year to the institutions, in perpetuity.

At the time, the couple wrote a heartfelt letter to the community that detailed their desire to give back to the community that supported their endeavors and create a lasting impact.

A year later, during the onset of the pandemic, the Juravinski’s wrote a second letter detailing an additional donation of $3.3 million in hopes of providing “a little good news in difficult times” while supporting COVID-19 and brain health research.

READ MORE: Philanthropists Charles and Margaret Juravinski give $3.3M to COVID-19 research

In November 2020, the Juravinski’s decided to mark Charles’ birthday by giving instead of receiving presents.

They celebrated the 91-year-old by donating another $3 million to support health research through the Juravinski Research Institute, which works with Hamilton Health Sciences, McMaster University and St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton.

Days before the announcement of Charles’ passing, the couple gave a $5.1-million Valentine’s Day gift to support new research projects at the Juravinski Research Institute focused on child and youth health, integrated care and burn trauma.

Charles then passed away in his sleep at the age of 92 on Feb. 15, 2022.

READ MORE: Charles and Margaret Juravinski invest $3 million in health research in Hamilton

“Apart from their giving, Margaret loved being on-site at the Villa, interacting with residents and seeing exactly how her support was making a difference in lives,” Davidson said.

Margaret was the grand marshal of the St. Joseph’s Villa Foundation’s inaugural Hike the Valley fundraising event at the Dundas Valley Golf and Curling Club in June 2022. She was hiking in memory of her late husband Charles.

In November 2022, she attended her last Villa event, Holiday Handbags, which raised the largest net revenue of any event in the home’s history.

“From all of us associated with St. Joseph’s Villa and Margaret’s Place Hospice, we simply say to Margaret, thank you,” Davidson said.

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