Wood, Myrna

The youngest of eight siblings, Myrna Wood (Aiken/Schoenfeld) was born to Rolly and Ferne Aiken (Crouse) in Grundy Center, Iowa. 

After the passing of Ferne in 1939, Myrna was adopted by Fred and June Schoenfeld whom she lived with until graduating from 

Grundy Center High School in 1954. Myrna spent a year at Iowa University. After a few years moving through various locations in the United States, Myrna moved to Canada in 1959 with her then husband Robertson Wood of Winnipeg. Important time was spent in Montreal working with well-known left-wing activist and intellectual, Stan Gray. The couple moved to Hamilton after the 1970 FLQ crisis. 

Myrna Wood became a trail blazing Second wave feminist and was one of the founders of Canada’s first Women’s Liberation Movement in Toronto. In New York City she helped to organize a city-wide Women's Liberation group including women from Students for a Democratic Society.

 In 1969, she co-wrote an essay entitled "Bread and Roses" with Kathy McAfee calling for a movement to organize working-class women. 

She was active in the Canadian Women’s Abortion Caravan and took part in the protest in the House of Commons gallery for which she spent a night in jail. Her sense of social justice extended from women’s issues to combating racism and to labour rights and unionism. 

Myrna was a career activist, but her wage work was mostly in public libraries. She loved books and libraries and valued them as public institutions. She was a talented sewer and knitter. Her interest and awareness of bird life was discovered while working as a librarian in Hamilton.

Upon retirement in 1994 Myrna moved to Prince Edward County with a new passion for birds and birding and soon became an activist for nature.  Myrna, with Terry Sprague, was a founding member of Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory and Prince Edward County Field Naturalists (PECFN). She and Terry also were involved with the formation of the South Shore Important Bird and Biodiversity Area. As the longest-serving board member of PECFN, her passion for the natural world led to her spearheading the fight against Industrial Wind Turbines in Prince Edward County’s 

South Shore – a major migratory pathway. Later Myrna was a founding member of the South Shore Joint Initiative. 

Myrna is survived by her sister Marillyn Akkerman (Aiken), her nephew Gregg Akkerman and remembered 

and missed by her many friends in Prince Edward County. Her wisdom and her legacy will continue to inspire us all. 

Special thanks to Joyce Beaudrie and family of Harmony Home Apartments, Brad Gunn of the Prince Edward Family Health Team, 

Dr. Blackbyrne and Hospice Prince Edward. 

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.

Donations to South Shore Joint Initiative or any other local environmental organization, 

Prince Edward Public Library and Hospice Prince Edward would be appreciated.

Arrangements in the care of the 
AINSWORTH FUNERAL HOME, 288 NOXON AVENUE, WELLINGTON. 
Online condolences at www.ainsworthfuneralhome.com