Celebrating a legacy of character and determination in women’s athletics

Laurier donor Marion White knew at the age of five what she wanted to do with her life: follow in the footsteps of her aunt and live a life of character, independence and generosity.

Now, White is celebrating her aunt’s legacy as a woman and an athlete by establishing the Marion G. Trumbell (Reed) Varsity Women’s Hockey Award.

“My aunt Marion was an athlete, far ahead of her time, determined to be who she was,” says White. “In the 1930s, she played two seasons for the Preston Rivulettes – one of the first successful woman’s hockey teams in Canada. And she was the first woman from Galt to join the Canadian Women’s Army Corps (CWAC), in 1941; she served in Europe during the Second World War.”

“My aunt was so patriotic and independent. Even as a young child, I knew exactly what I was going to do – the same thing she did: serve my country,” says White. “In 1956, at the age of 18, after I graduated from high school, I took the bus to Hamilton and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force.”

Having reached the rank of captain, White left the military in 1969, and worked in administration and human resources. She shares her aunt’s love of sports, including tennis, golf, track and field and fastball and is active as a volunteer.

Trumbell played a formative role in White’s life, always inspiring her with her strong character and energetic personality.

“I was extremely close to my aunt Marion as well as my mother (her sister),” says White. “They were my rocks, they never put limits on me, they taught me how to think straight. I owe them a lot.”

As Trumbell aged and needed support, White was there. When Trumbell began to experience dementia, White was the one who devoted herself to her care, helping her access health support. She was at Trumbell’s side, holding her hand, when she passed away. Trumbell made White the beneficiary of her estate, which White used to support Trumbell’s son. When Trumbell’s son passed away a few years later, White considered how she could make the best use of her aunt’s remaining legacy.

White decided to make a gift in her own will to support an award for Laurier’s Varsity Women's Hockey players. She had had a positive experience taking evening courses from Laurier during her 40s and held a fondness for the university that lasted over the years. Considering how much her aunt represented the strength of women in athletics and leadership, and how much she enjoyed going to women’s hockey games, White felt that this was the perfect way to honour her.

“I could think of nothing else that would suit her better,” says White. “I think she would have been pleased and proud.”

After a few years, White had a sudden realization.

“I’m getting older,” she said to herself at the time. “Why am I waiting?”

White wanted to make a difference now, and she wanted the opportunity to get to know the recipients of her giving. She wanted them to hear the story of her aunt Marion. She wanted to watch them play hockey and remember how much her aunt enjoyed and believed in athletics for women.

“As women athletes, we have our strengths the way men have their strengths, and there is no reason why we can’t compete in athletics the same as men can,” White says. “I believe we have every right to compete, to get paid, to be treated the same.”

This year, as White worked through the process of converting her legacy gift into an endowed award, she was thrilled to have the opportunity to meet the Laurier Women’s Varsity Hockey Team at the Outstanding Women of Laurier Gala.

She had a wonderful evening connecting with the team, was very impressed with them, and plans to attend more games, as well as meeting with individual award recipients in the years to come. She wants to make a lasting difference in their lives and to help them develop the strength of character she so admired in her aunt.

“Look, here is a woman back in ’36 who just went out and did it anyway even though people looked askance at it. The Preston Rivulettes excelled,” she says. “My aunt was a very good athlete and nothing stopped her.”

White wants to give the same momentum to women student-athletes at Laurier.

“I think that helping them with their athletic endeavours will help them achieve their education, so that they can go out and make the world a better place,” she says.

Through the Marion G. Trumbell (Reed) Varsity Women’s Hockey Award, that’s exactly what she’ll do.