Margaret is survived by her husband Ernie; daughter Judy Payne (Roddy) of Rose Lake, Darlene Hinz (Gerard) of Tintagel, sons George (Trish) of Prince George, Marvin (Zandra) of Princeton, Charlie (Carla) of Tintagel; grandchildren Ron, Darin, Christopher Tyson, Korrina, Lisa, David (predeceased in 1973); Leah, Daniel, Bobby-Joe, Adam, Michael, Raina, and five great-grandchildren.
Margaret’s parents, Edward and Madonna VanTine homesteaded on the shores of Ootsa Lake in 1919 to pursue a life of guiding/hunting and raise twelve children. Sisters Ruth; Florince (deceased); Eleanor, brothers Lawrence (deceased); Meryl (deceased); Bill, Charles (deceased), Jim, George, Doug and Leo.
The Burns Lake Hospital hired Margaret in 1937 as a cook and so began a lifelong understanding and love of cooking. She was a cook with the Lord Tweedsmuir trek into the park in 1937. On January 3, 1942, she married Ernie Carlson. They raised five children and she was an active partner in their businesses; a taxi service that encompassed Houston, Prince George, Fort Babine, and across Francois Lake, at times on the frozen lake, and for two years the taxi was a school bus run for the children at Decker Lake and Tintagel as there were no buses., then mail routes for Canada Post, first the rural mail-bag delivery to Francois Lake, Colleymount, Clemarreta, and Noralee, then the rural box delivery from Burns Lake to Forestdale. Always with a sense of adventure, Margaret was a member of The Rod and Gun Club, The Burns Lake Legion, Lakes District Museum Society, Burns Lake Curling Club. A tireless worker she worked many years as a matron for the Burns Lake R.C.M.P. She was just as accomplished with her interests that came naturally, like fishing, wild berry picking, and preserving rock fossil hunting, vegetable gardening with a knack to grow and propagate flowers and house plants, travel, first with her family yearly during the summer to Disneyland, ExpoP.N.E, then her adventures in camping and traveling to England and France. For eighty-eight years she remained steadfast and proud of two things, her heritage and her family.