Obituary of Audrey Marion Fogg

AUDREY MARION FOGG, of Winnipeg, Manitoba passed away, age 94, Feb 10, 2024 at her home at 55 Nassau where she has lived the past 32 years.  She was born December 20, 1929 to James Ives Munro and Olive Mary Tuckfield. She survived her late husband, of 57 years, Gordon (deceased August 10, 2010).  She is survived by her two sisters, Heather Lynn Folts and Judy Jessiman (Duncan).  Audrey is survived by her 5 children:  Jim, Val (Wayne Zilkie), Susan (Rex Beanland), Robbie and Andy (Melanie McLeod).  Beloved grandchildren are:  Verginia, Jayson, Vanessa, Jasmine, Emily, Chaylene, Stuart, and Matthew and great-grandchildren: Joshua, Anna, Nate (Verginia & Bruce Van Calsteren);  Micah, Amara, Izaiah (Jayson & Erin Zilkie); Weston, Whitaker (Vanessa & Robbie Shaw), Rosie Valerie (Jasmine and Jarred Marsh); Larkin, James, Ferguson (Emily Sauvé and Matt Dyce); Alexander, Lucas (Chaylene Sauvé & Curtis Henderson).

In all areas of her life Audrey was an amazingly talented woman. She gave her five kids a childhood second to none with street parties and carnivals, camping trips to both coasts, outdoor adventures, summer cottaging and sports of all varieties.  She believed in giving her children as many opportunities as possible along with the encouragement that we could go anywhere and do anything. She was an amazing poet, capturing stories in rhyme.  Her favourite poem was Vespers by A.A. Milne.  She was a seamstress, sewing our clothes and she was always exquisitely dressed. She loved golfing and whenever there was an opportunity she was on the course.  Early summer mornings at Albert Beach she would wake a couple of kids, plunk them in her bike carrier and ride 10 km to Victoria Beach for a 6:30 a.m. tee off and golf lesson.

She was a strategic bridge player winning many tournaments. She was an active, vibrant member of many clubs, boards and organizations, too many to name, but the entire family’s involvement with the Winnipeg Winter Club and the St. Charles Country Club held a very special place in her heart.   She had an appreciation for art and was a supporter of many artists. She was always singing or humming the show tunes. Her mother Olive sang and played the piano and her aunt, Ellen Tuckfield, composed the song ‘Playmates’ for the piano. She came to enjoy classical music with her involvement in the Women’s Committee of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. Audrey hailed from a long line of champion curlers, dating back to the 1880’s. She was very active in the curling world, serving as chairman for the 1976 Can Ladies Curling Championships and the Silver Broom World Cup of Curling 1978.  Her legacy continues on through her children and grandchildren.

In 1976 The Winnipeg Free Press ran an article on Audrey that, she felt, best encapsulated her life. Her request was that the article be part of her obituary. The following is an excerpt from that article.

Nine years ago, Audrey Fogg was a wife, mother of five, volunteer worker and sports champion. Now, she's the only female general manager of a courier service in Manitoba. Her transition began in 1976 when the president of Bison Transport asked her to develop and run the company's new courier division. Audrey accepted after learning the answer to her first question:  "What's a courier service?"

Building and selling a new service required Audrey to hire staff, set up a rate structure, design uniforms for the drivers and decals for the cars and trucks. There were two cars at the start but the number grew to between 60 and 70.

 "I also had to devise our first advertising campaign, she recalls. "The name Bison had been around for years, but I had to work                 hard to convince people to use a new service, Bison Parcel and then Letter Lassie Courier. Back in the early days, I'd start         work at six or seven in the morning and often stay till midnight or later.”

Audrey embraced the Bison opportunity for several reasons:

"At 47 years old, I was spending a lot of time doing volunteer work and playing sports and since my children were grown, I felt I should try a venture where I would receive money in addition to job gratification.”

This onetime badminton, golfing and curling champion grew up as the eldest of three Winnipeg sisters.

“My father brought me up rather like a boy and taught me all the sports.  As a young person I was involved in figure skating, swimming, badminton, golf, baseball, basketball and volleyball.”

The amiable 55-year-old grandmother says she is a born competitor.

“I want to win and be successful. I’d never criticize my opposition instead I put all my efforts into making our company a lot better.”

Audrey has been influenced by independent women in her family.

“My grandmother, Agnes Munro, lived with my family when I was growing up but before that she ran for political office in 1918 – the first-year women were able to vote. She didn’t win – but she was way ahead of her time.”

Raising five children of her own proved to be helpful preparation for her current role as business executive. Running Bison Courier is similar to running a household although Bison is a much bigger operation!

“When I got out into the business world, I also appreciated the help given to me by other business women. There have been advantages in being a female in a male-dominated world: “Being different helped me time and again.” she says. “People find me quite approachable and easy to talk to.”

When the pace of her life demands a reprieve, Audrey and Gordon, retreated to the family hideaway at Echo Bay, Lake of the Woods.

“Since purchasing the property in 1971 it has been our favourite place to relax, enjoy nature and spend time together with family and friends.” 

Audrey always had a passion for supporting women in the workplace. As one of her volunteer involvements, she was director of The Winnipeg’s Aurora Club, a new organization supporting and promoting business and professional women.

In 1979 Audrey gratefully accepted the award for YWCA Business Woman of the Year.

An excerpt from her award writeup:

 ‘Audrey has achieved considerable success in business herself and in a firm in which at least ninety percent of the owner-operators are women she has opened new opportunities for other women to enter the transportation field. ‘

Retiring in 1986, Audrey and Gordon wanted to travel and experience life in places all over the world. Their volunteer involvement with Rotary Club and CESO – Canadian Executive Overseas met those needs. On one of their 6-week CESO projects in Cali, Colombia, she wrote,

 “Together we work during the week, with dad giving sometimes 30 speeches to different organizations.  My goal is to learn Spanish so I can be his translator. On weekends or holidays the local people invite us to their homes, celebrations and sight-seeing tours up to the mountains and surrounding countryside and the experience is fantastic. What a wonderful fulfilling life we are living.”

You were a grand lady, Audrey, you will remain in our hearts forever!

Little Boy kneels at the foot of the bed,

Droops on the little hands little gold head.

Hush! Hush! Whisper who dares!

Christopher Robin is saying his prayers.

God bless Mummy. I know that’s right.

Wasn’t it fun in the bath to-night?

The cold’s so cold, and the hot’s so hot.

Oh! God bless Daddy – I quite forgot.

If I open my fingers a little bit more,

I can see Nanny’s dressing-gown on the door.

It’s a beautiful blue, but it hasn’t a hood.

Oh! God bless Nanny and make her good.

Mine has a hood, and I lie in bed,

And pull the hood right over my head,

And I shut my eyes, and I curl up small.

And nobody knows that I’m here at all.

Oh! Thank you, God for a lovely day.

And what was the other I had to say?

I said “Bless Daddy,” so what can it be?

Oh! Now I remember it. God bless Me.

Little Boy kneels at the foot of the bed,

Droops on the little hands little gold head.

Hush! Hush! Whisper who dares!

Christopher Robin is saying his prayers.