Our family will hold a small, private memorial ceremony to plant a magnolia tree in honour of Megan in her beloved family home on Secrest Avenue. Following the ceremony, friends, family and colleagues are welcome to drop by to view the tree, leave a message and light a candle in her memory. In recognition of the COVID-19 restrictions, there will be no formal public gathering, but socially distanced small group visits are welcome. We will provide individually portioned light refreshments. Visitors are encouraged to stagger their visits, use hand sanitizer and masks, and remain 6 ft apart from individuals outside their household. 

Other  in-person gatherings will be organized when COVID-19 restrictions allow.

Private Commemorative Tree Planting & Public Visiting / Luminary Lighting

Lauren Rutherford

Megan Rutherford

Rowan Penway

Megan was born in Yellowknife, NWT on March 31, 1955. She passed away peacefully with family by her side on February 6, 2021 in Penticton, BC following a courageous yearlong battle with cancer. To her final day, she lived with humour, creativity and an infectious enthusiasm for celebrating life.
Megan grew up in Penticton, BC where she was active in Penticton Secondary School Choir and Student Council. In 1973, she was chosen as Penticton’s Peach Queen (Val Vedette XXVI) and proudly represented the community at numerous functions throughout the province.
During the mid-seventies, Megan attended UBC (Education) in Vancouver and enjoyed acting in local theatre productions and performing as a vocalist. She married fellow UBC student Rodney Penway, and the young couple, ready for an adventure, relocated to Houston, BC where they remained for eleven years. Megan taught as a substitute teacher and volunteered to rehabilitate wild animals. She and Rod adopted stray cats and dogs, cared for their quarter horses and welcomed their daughter Lauren and son Rowan. After the family moved to Naramata, BC in the early nineties, Megan became a passionately involved member of School District 67, teaching Drama at McNicoll Park Junior Secondary School, followed by years of teaching English, Drama and Film Studies at Penticton Secondary School. While she and Rod chose to part ways, they remained friends and supportive co-parents.
Megan was dedicated to the Arts. In 1998, she obtained her Masters in Fine Arts Education degree from SFU. She successfully adapted countless screenplays for school productions, established PHAME (Pen High Arts Media Entertainment) productions and led Improv teams to compete at the national Improv Games in Ottawa. In her leisure time, she enjoyed creative writing, reading, attending stage productions and the cinema, travelling, gardening and organizing elaborately themed celebrations for family, friends and colleagues.
In addition to being a very loving and supportive mother to her two children, Megan provided encouragement and support to many students throughout her teaching career and twelve years as a Homestay Host for Penticton Secondary School’s International Student Program.
Megan was predeceased by her father, Jack Rutherford (Rowdy) in 1958; her mother, Jean Rutherford in 2014; and her brother, Wilson Rutherford in 2009. She is survived by her children Lauren Rutherford (Sean Padley) and Rowan Penway (Samantha McMahon); her grandchildren Carter and Emerson Padley; siblings Vaughan Grant (Barrie), Fyfe Brown (Larry) and Ian Rutherford (Louise); her former spouse Rodney Penway; aunts, uncles and her many cousins, nieces and nephews.
The family extends our gratitude and appreciation to Megan’s incredible circle of friends, the wonderful team at BC Cancer - Kelowna and the Penticton Regional Hospital’s Oncology department, and the kind nursing staff at both facilities.
A private celebration of life will be held at a later date, pending COVID-19 restrictions.

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Megan Galbraith Rutherford