![[Home]](/graphics/2020-02_logo.png){kind=logo}
Jackie & Marion, December 2016
Born in Lunenburg, NS on February 19, 1948 to the late Rev. James and Margot (Spanner) McMahon, Jackie quietly slipped away on June 11, 2021.
Jackie and family lived on Prince Edward Island until she was 8. They moved to Annapolis Royal and later to Halifax. She earned a BSc from the University of Kings College.
She married Ian and joined the Austen clan. After they separated, she and Ian co-parented their daughters Maggie and Jennifer. Jackie taught them to march for their rights and later showed them her love through hard work and punishing shifts at Canada Post to keep food on the table. Her children and grandchildren knew her unconditional love through big hugs and maybe a little too much ice cream. Retirement gave her the opportunity to move to Hopewell with Marion Dimock to be closer to the grandchildren. She watched them grow with joy.
She was a founding member of the Halifax WomensHousingCoOp, a member of the women’s OlderWiserLesbians's group of Halifax, the Birthday Club of Pictou County and served as Vice President of the East River Valley Community Development Association. Jackie loved reading science fiction, woodworking, and gardening. Friends have said she could grow a garden from concrete. She shed a ray of light on everyone she met and will be missed by her many friends.
She is survived by her life partner Marion, daughters Maggie (Steve Cool) Austen, San Jose, California, Jennifer (Corey Tucker) Austen, Trenton, NS, grandchildren Matthew and Jamie (Cool), Emma and Lexi (Austen), brothers Jim McMahon, Toronto, John (Colleen) McMahon?, St. Catharine’s, sisters Judy (Tony) Maxwell, Ottawa, Julia Grace, Salt Spring Island, BC, former husband Ian Austen and mother-in-law Molly Austen, Halifax.
The family wishes to extend a huge thank you to the many VON nurses, palliative staff and doctors involved in her care. There will be no funeral. Cremation has taken place. A celebration of life will be held at a later date.