Meet Our Donors
The Alberta-born, Big Rock Brewery founder and former lawyer and barley farmer, Dr. Edward McNally (LLD ‘05), has a long list of achievements attached to his name, but he is also humble, down to earth, loyal to his friends and family and an active supporter of education.
When McNally’s mother, Margaret Elliot McNally (Thomson), passed away in 1987, he wanted to do something special to honour her memory. During an opportune visit to the U of L, McNally met a nursing professor and was introduced to the idea of supporting nursing students who have the talent and drive to further their educations.
“My mother, who was born in Scotland, had been accepted to Cambridge University, but her guardian thought she was too young to attend. Instead, she volunteered to go to France as a nurse’s aide during the First World War. Of course it was a terrible time; it was shocking for her to see thousands of casualties every day. During the war she met my father, Dr. Alfred McNally, a Canadian seconded to the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). They married and relocated to Lethbridge. She did an awful lot during the war, and it impacted her life,” says McNally.
Establishing the Margaret Elliot McNally (Thomson) Memorial Scholarship to support students in their final year of the Bachelor of Nursing program or entering a Masters Program in nursing is a way for McNally to respect his mother’s commitment during the war and ensure that her memory lives on for future generations.
However, as McNally points out, the scholarships awarded are not only a tribute, they also encourage deserving students who will go on to make a difference – just like Margaret Elliot McNally. “I wanted to support promising young students pursuing advanced nursing studies. Bright and caring students are the people who should receive financial support – it’s very meaningful to them,” explains McNally.
Already, the scholarship has provided support for 10 nurses during their educational journeys. “I’m amazed at how bright some of the students are and how diverse their thinking is. With so many new directions in medicine and health care, they have such a wide, diverse future ahead of them,” says McNally.
McNally’s generosity is inspiring a lasting legacy – one that remembers a woman who served selflessly for freedom, and one that contributes to the next generation of nurses who will carry a shared tradition of care well into the future.
