Name at birth: Mabel Theresa Perrin Date of birth: 20 August 1903 Place of birth: North Augusta, Ontario, Canada Date of death: 01 April 1998 Place of death: Nepean, Ontario, Canada Place of burial: Zion Cemetery, Marmora Township, Malone, Ontario, Canada
Submitted by: Ralph S. W. Phillips (rphillip98@aol.com)
A true servant of the Lord
Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine!
| Name at birth: | Gerald Edward Paige |
| Date of birth: | 05 04 1963 |
| Place of birth: | British Columbia, Canada |
| Date of death: | 29 06 1994 |
| Place of death: | Toronto, Canada |
| Resting place: | Ashes interred in Toronto |
| Submitted by: | Clinton Wood |
| Name at birth: | Justice Otto |
| Date of birth: | 14 February 1935 |
| Place of birth: | Aliwal-North, South Africa |
| Date of death: | 30 May 1995 |
| Place of death: | Ajax, Canada |
| Resting place: | Oshawa, Ontario, Canada |
| Submitted by: | Vince Otto (Jusotto@ibm.net) |
In loving memory of my father,
Rev. J. Otto
Born: 14 February 1935
Died: 30 May 1995
"I fought the good fight, I ran
the race..."
You are the stars, you are
the evening breeze, you are
the fragrance of a wildflower,
because you are with God.
| Name at birth: | Daniel McIlravey |
| Date of birth: | 27 01 1937 |
| Place of birth: | Luton, England |
| Date of death: | 22 12 1996 |
| Place of death: | Dunnville, Ontario, Canada |
| Resting place: | Victoria Lawn Cemetery, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada |
| Submitted by: | Arlene McIlravey (Arlene@sympatico.ca) |
Daniel McIlravey passed away Sunday December 22, 1996. President of Teamsters Union Local 879, Hamilton Ontario. President of Hamilton Port Council, Executive of Teamsters Joint Council no 52. Predeceased by his son Brett, Mother Ellen, Father Daniel, and sister Ellen Duffy. Survived by his loving wife Arlene, son Troy and daughters Shelly McCann, Dawn, Susan Duffin and Katherine. Proud grandfather of John McCann Jr., Connor and Quinn, Mackenzie, Andrew and his wee Angel Ainsley.
Do not stand by my grave and weep;
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow
I am the diamond glints in the snow
I am the sunlight on ripened grain
I am the gentle autumn’s rain
When you awaken in the mornings hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight
I am the soft stars that shine at night
Do not stand at my grave and cry
I am not there .I did not die.
| Name at birth: | JERRY EARLE MATHIAS |
| Date of birth: | 25/06/1945 |
| Place of birth: | HUNTSVILLE ONTARIO |
| Date of death: | 13/11/1995 |
| Place of death: | THORNHILL ONTARIO |
| Resting place: | BARRIE CREMATORIUM IN ONTARIO |
| Submitted by: | TONYA ELIZABETH MATHIAS(NURSE91113288@aol.com) |
“DID YOU EVER KNOW THAT YOU’RE MY HERO
AND EVERYTHING I’D LIKE TO BE
I COULD FLY HIGHER THAN AN EAGLE
‘CAUSE YOU ARE THE WIND BENEATH MY WINGS”
“I WILL FOREVER LOVE YOU DAD, AS YOU WERE
THE GREATEST GIFT ANY GIRL COULD HAVE EVER HAD”.
Name at birth: Sharon Alynne McDonald
Date of birth: October 6 1956
Place of birth: Sault Ste. Marie Canada
Date of death: January 31 1998
Place of death: Sault Ste. Marie Canada
Place of burial: Port Finley Cemetery, St. Joe's Island.
(Near Sault Ste. Marie) Ontario Canda
Submitted by: Sasha Mair (Jessica_Rabbit01@hotmail.com)
The woman being reconized is my mother. She was deaf. But didn’t need ears to be the perfect mom. She graduated Valedictorian of her class in the Belleville School for the Deaf. She had so much love and was one of the most well loved people in her life time. Over 1,500 people came to the funeral. She was beautiful and understanding. And was always there. When she died she was only 41. Right now I am 15.
No one can know how much I need her guidance and miss her. We weren’t expecting her to die. She had a brain haemmorrhage.
At the funeral I did not cry. I didn’t cry until that March. We have a memorial bowl for her every may in her name. I’d give my heart to see her again. Even hell is worth seeing her again. She was one of those people. Her heart was so pure so loving. She didn’t deserve to die. It wasn’t her time. I can feel that. I loved her with all my heart. If you (the reader) knew her you would’ve loved her too. I’ve written a poem in her memory. This winter I have written a sum of 56 poems. Here is one of them.
THE TEARS I KNOW
Her love was something to look forward to,
It was something that I once knew,
The feel of her love in my heart,
Is something that will never part,
Her heart always in the right place,
The glow of love in her face,
The warmth in her eyes,
While she wiped away my cries,
My heart’s pain will not cease,
But in time will decease,
Every so often I’ll think of my mother,
And know there is no other.
I hope you read this. And if you ever see a person signing. Please think of the woman who acheived it all.
| Name at birth: | Michael Lynch |
| Date of birth: | 20/08/1944 |
| Place of birth: | Dunn, North Carolina, USA |
| Date of death: | 09/07/1991 |
| Place of death: | Toronto, Canada |
| Resting place: | Toronto, Canada |
| Submitted by: | Gerald Hannon (gerald.hannon@sympatico.ca) |
Michael Lynch: Gay activist, poet, academic, editor from 1981 of the international Gay Studies Newsletter; active in many community efforts (The Gay Alliance Toward Equality [before he’d ever had sex with a man]; the Committee to Defend John Damien; Gay Fathers of Toronto; Whitman in Ontario Conference, 1980; Wilde ’82; Sex and the State, 1985). For many years a frequent writer for The Body Politic, a gay liberation magazine in Toronto. Wrote on many subjects, but his early pieces on AIDS (“Living with Kaposi’s,” paired with a piece by his friend Bill Lewis in a 10-page feature on AIDS) were particularly important. They contributed to the more humane, less panic-driven approach to the disease in Canada. Michael was later a founder of the AIDS Committee of Toronto (1983), AIDS Action Now! and the Toronto AIDS Memorial (from 1988), the Toronto Centre for Lesbian and Gay Studies (1990), and Gay Fathers Toronto. His collection of poems, These Waves of Dying Friends, was published in 1989. Michael died of the disease in 1991. His son, Stefan Lynch, lives in San Francisco, and carries on his father’s activism—he has been very involved in COLAGE, an organization for the children of lesbian and gay parents.
Michael could play as avidly as he worked, and would want to be remembered as (probably) the first gay academic ever to be a nude centre-fold subject for bothHoncho and Mandate, and as a sweaty, shirtless 5 a.m. reveller at Stages (Toronto), The Saint (New York) and the Ice Palace (Fire Island). He spent hours, too, at his grand piano and harpsichord, honing his style for Bach or Schubert, or accompanying friends’ renditions of the classics of torch. And he loved to host. Many friendships were celebrated over intimate dinners he cooked with panache, and at lavish soirees where he presided as “diva divine.”
Name at birth: Date of birth: 15/05/59 Place of birth: Toronto, Canada Date of death: 25/03/97 Place of death: Burks’ Falls, Canada Place of burial: Assumption Cemetery, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Submitted by: Anna Liorti (cirtem1@aol.com)
My dear brother, Larry, almost a year has gone by since
that terrible accident. When you left us on that day, I
never would have imagined that it would be the last time
we would see your smile. The last time we would hear you
talk, the last time you would say “don’t worry I’ll fix it”.
I will never forget the moment I got the call that you had
died, I couldn’t believe it, I didn’t understand it. How
could something so horrible happen to us. It couldn’t be
real. I went through this year in a state of shock with a
terrible feeling of waiting. Always waiting for you to walk
back into my life.
Your beautiful daughters are growing up, Michelle and
Gabrielle are now four and are as energetic as ever.
Victoria is now seven and looks exactly like you. You would
be proud of your girls, I can only wish that you were here
to watch them grow, and be here for all the special times.
I can only imagine what God had in mind for you to take
you away so suddenly at such a young age and away from
your family. I pray that one day we will all be together
again in a better place. Until then you will be in my
heart and in my thoughts.
I Love You Forever…..your little sister.
| Name at birth: | Eunice Robin Nabwami |
| Date of birth: | 30 Nov 1952 |
| Place of birth: | Mugongo, Natete, Kampala, Uganda |
| Date of death: | 03 Oct 1995 |
| Place of death: | Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
| Resting place: | Pinecrest Cemetery, Ottawa |
| Submitted by: | Mathias Muleme (mule2750@mach1.wlu.ca) |
Aunt Eunice was the loving and loved wife of Dr. Moses Kiggundu of Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, mother of son Andrew J. and daughter Jacqueline C. Kiggundu. She survived by sisters Jessica and Susan and brothers Sam, Willy and Godfrey Lumala, all of Kampala. Born to the late Mr. Samuel Lumala and Mrs. Margaret Lumala of Mugongo, Natete, Kampala, Uganda. Aunt Eunice was someone who never failed to bring a smile to the face of anyone she met. Her determination is shown by her achievement of a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Ottawa in 1994. After a four-year battle with cancer, she died peacefully at the Elizabeth Bruyere Health centre in Ottawa on the morning of October 3, 1995.
We love you Aunt Eunice, may you rest in Eternal Peace.
| Name at birth: | Yoshie Sakai |
| Date of birth: | 15-03-1944 |
| Place of birth: | Sakaiminato Japan |
| Date of death: | 14-01-2000 |
| Place of death: | Vancouver, Canada |
| Resting place: | Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Burnaby, BC, Canada |
| Submitted by: | Tom Karoutsos (tkarouts@yahoo.com) |
Yoshie, Aspasia Karoutsos 1944 – 2000
Yoshie was born on March 15th 1944 in Sakaiminato Tottoriken Japan as the second child to the Sakai family who had lived on the same property for eight generations. Japan was then at the most gruesome point of the war; food was very scarce and the family was fed only a small ration of potatoes and wheat. Even on this diet, young Yoshie managed to win an award as the healthiest pupil in her school based on attendance. She was blessed with perfect health until she was 52 years old.
While still a teenager, Yoshie started learning traditional Japanese arts such as samisen and Dance with Yasue; her older sister. She excelled at samisen and soon acquired a teacher’s certificate. By her high school years, Yoshie was giving samisen lessons to doctors and high school teachers at her home. She made her debut playing at the samisen symphony while still a high school student; a first in Japan.
Yoshie excelled at sports such as volleyball and basketball. She captained her basketball team to winning their regional competition and thus participating in the all-Japan national tournament.
At a Japan-wide entrance examination for the top Japanese universities she placed fifth in the country. (As placements were not released, this was only mentioned to her older sister.) She attended Kyoto Women’s University where her older sister was also studying.
After graduating from the KWU, Yoshie worked at her parents’ food factory and learned Ikebana (Japanese flower arrangement), tea ceremony, sewing and kimono making. Her determination made her master the art of Ikebana. She attained a teacher’s level in sewing as well. She even surpassed her teachers.
Yoshie’s grades were always near or at the top of her class. She was elected class representative and president of her student council.
At home, Yoshie took care of her ill mother, taking her place in caring for her younger siblings. She cooked, made uniforms and oversaw their studies attending graduation in her mother’s place. She made wedding dresses and maternity dresses for her friends. She took care of everyone around her.
When Yoshie came to Canada in October 1972, her goal was to study English and return to Japan. Her husband to be Tom had arrived in Vancouver a few months earlier. They met on Valentine’s Day in 1973 at the bus stop on Oak and Broadway after a day at the old King Edward School where they had been learning English.
At Tom’s suggestion, Yoshie applied and on September 25th 1973 obtained Canadian Immigrant status. She was lucky to have two great cousins living in Vancouver (Mr. and Mrs. Watanabe) who sponsored her. This allowed her to get a full time job as a housekeeper at the Hotel Vancouver and live on her own in a small suite on West 10th. She also started saving money for travel and the return trip back to Japan.
Before returning to Japan in October 1974, Yoshie spent most of September traveling throughout the United States, writing or calling Tom every day about her experiences. She was most fond of New York City, which she described as big …like Tokyo and was especially impressed by the Metropolitan Museum. On the way back she took a train ride through the Canadian Prairies and experienced Winter-peg even for a short time.
Her trip to Tokyo was also to be unique; she went by ship spending two weeks at sea. Her plan was to work in Tokyo putting her newly acquired language skills to use. When she arrived, she found a depressed economy where employees were expected to work until 7 or 8 PM everyday without overtime pay. This, in addition to the loneliness of being away from Tom made her consider returning to Vancouver. Tom in the meantime tried but failed to forget about Yoshie so the two reunited in Vancouver in March 1975. On September 18th of the same year Tom and Yoshie made their vows to live together for ever after. Yoshie was taught Christianity, was baptized taking the name Aspasia and the two had a Greek Orthodox wedding ceremony.
Yoshie’s priority was always with her family. She was very reluctant in allowing others to baby-sit her children. Tom recalls Yoshie always being anxious to leave parties early as a result.
After the marriage, the highlights of Yoshie’s life were the birth of her two children; Irene (Noriko) in December 1977 and Elliott I. (Masaki) in May 1979.
As time went by, Yoshie continued practicing traditional Japanese arts such as Samisen, Japanese Tea Ceremony, and started studying Koto. She was also able to teach Samisen and sewing as well. A common sound often heard in the Karoutsos home was Yoshie and her sewing students chatting and socializing while working on their sewing projects. In an effort to motivate her students, Yoshie loved to teach in her most elegant outfits and before the students arrived she would always show herself off to her family as to say “ta da!”
In 1991 Yoshie traveled to Europe with all of her family. She was very pleased to meet some of Tom’s relatives for the first time and was very impressed by the Parthenon in Athens, the Aegean Sea and the Louvre in Paris.
In addition to sewing and playing instruments, Yoshie loved golf. She was a member of the Mcleery Women’s Golf Club where she made many friends. Not feeling that a car was necessary, Yoshie often walked to the golf course with her clubs in tow. She looked at golf, as many do, as a challenge and achieved the goals she set for herself. With determination and perseverance she first broke 100 and then 90, a feat she was truly proud of. Yoshie’s golfing career culminated with her winning the Marg Humphries Trophy in 1998.
Yoshie often worked till the early morning hours in her sewing room making bedding supplies for a very high quality bedding supplies store in Vancouver. She was close to her family in Japan but especially her younger sister Hiroe for whom she made many dresses. Hiroe was always amazed at how promptly she received her dresses.
Despite keeping herself busy Yoshie also found time to read, and even watch TV. Her favourite magazine was Bunke Sunju which she used to buy by the case at the annual Japanese festival. She was also fascinated by the Royal families of Japan and England and was always willing to debate if Charles would marry Camilla or if Princess Masako would have a baby.
Her favourite TV shows were I Love Lucy, Colombo and the Rogers Cable Japanese program. Yoshie and Tom probably watched every Colombo episode ever made and some more than once. She was interested in the Sumo results, the Japanese high school baseball championships, and the Red vs. White year-end song competition. More recently Yoshie developed an interest in Antiques and used to watch the Antique Road Show. If she had won her battle, her plan was to start furnishing their house with antiques.
She enjoyed the performing arts such as Opera not only for the beautiful melodies and stories but also for the environment. She loved being among well- dressed people who had an appreciation for fine arts.
Yoshie’s story- book life was unfortunately cut short by cancer; the disease was first diagnosed in October 1996. It was a tumor on her Ampula of Vater, an area very close to the pancreas. Due to the size and structure of the tumor (under 1 cm), she was deemed as a non-emergency case and this plus the medical system’s overload resulted in her operation taking place in February 1997. (Her operation was scheduled and then cancelled at least on two occasions. On one of them she was actually told of the cancellation only after arriving at the hospital.) Still the operation seemed successful as biopsies at that time showed no spread of the disease. Yoshie recovered and returned to a 100%.
In October 1998, Yoshie went into emergency as a result of a pancreatitis attack. These attacks lasted until the end of 1998 and it was only then when a cat scan showed a spot on her lymph node and on her liver. Her original surgeon requested a biopsy. Although the results of the biopsy were positive (i.e. showed presence of metastatic cancer) they were not communicated to anyone; Yoshie, her GP and her family assumed that no news was good news. As a result Yoshie continued to seek non-cancer treatments for cancer-caused symptoms such as diarrhea. During this time, Yoshie was able to enjoy her life without the thought of cancer. She spent a memorable week with her sister golfing and enjoying the unusually great weather in April of 1999.
On June 30th 1999 at the suggestion of her general practitioner, Yoshie went to see the original surgeon who then broke the ugly truth; her cancer had come back. She was told that most patients succumb within a year. Yoshie went to the BC Cancer Agency where she received two protocols of chemotherapy but to no avail. On November 17th 1999 she was told the dreaded “there is nothing more we can do for you!”. Still her faith in divine powers and the promises of some alternative medicines continued to give her hope.
A vivid dream which gave her hope was that of two angel-like women wearing white telling her in very confident voice: “Daijobu, Daijobu!” Translated: “It’s OK! Don’t Worry”. Yoshie took this to mean that she would be cured through some divine intervention.
Although she gave up hope during the December 1999 holiday season, she was able to enjoy one last Christmas with her family and took pleasure in decorating the Christmas tree. Yoshie had kept her disease a secret from overseas relatives and friends and not wanting to upset them during a happy and busy time of the year, she broke the bad news on January 3rd, 2000. They came to her side immediately. As if it were her last expenditure of energy she was able to see and talk to all of her relatives.
Yoshie accomplished all her goals in life but would have liked to see her children graduate and marry and wanted to see her grand children. Yoshie was not afraid of dying; She was afraid of experiencing unbearable pain while her sickness took its course but thankfully she did not suffer. She passed away peacefully, at her home at 10:55 AM on January 14th 2000. Perhaps the dream’s meaning was that she would not suffer and that she should have not been afraid.
As if to time her passing, she gathered her family and quietly drew the curtain on her life. Yoshie will be remembered forever as someone who lived her life to the fullest extent, a woman of quality, integrity and good taste.