Merle passed away peacefully in the Palliative Care Unit of Grace Hospital on Saturday March 16th, 2024, in her 89th year after suffering for the last few years from memory loss and bone deterioration. Merle was born in New Zealand and is survived there by brother Trevor, nephew Clive (Brenda), niece Tania and sister-in-law Adrienne. Merle lived a life rich in service to her communities. She did her teacher training in New Zealand and after teaching there for a time, she emigrated to Toronto where she was hired by the Toronto Board of Education. Merle taught elementary school in the city for a number of years, and later became the first woman to teach Industrial Arts in the public board. Merle was always a handywoman. Her last assignment before retirement was as principal of Palmerston Avenue Public School.
In addition to her work as an educator, Merle enjoyed following and playing sports, most notably tennis and badminton and she played both with skill and enthusiasm. She was also a keen lawn bowler. Merle enjoyed many wonderful days at her cottage where her handywoman skills were put to good use.
After retiring, Merle continued her work in the service of her community as part of the Swansea Town Hall Board of Directors and as the president and major organizer of the Swansea Area Seniors Association, for ten years where she managed the schedule of exercise classes and other programs that enriched the lives of seniors in her community. She continued to use her handywoman skills by keeping her tools ready to make repairs in her area and constructed many a bulletin board and fixed many a door in the Town Hall senior area. Merle endeared herself to all who participated in the activities and was always ready to give support to those in need. In recognition of her valuable contributions to the community and country, Merle was awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in a presentation at Swansea Town Hall.
Merle was a warm and generous spirit with a delightful sense of humour. She enjoyed singing and became an active member of the Shout Sister’s Southwest Choir group and was greatly appreciated by the members for her feisty commitment to practicing and performing despite her physical difficulties. She loved to sing at a good party. And the choir remembers her efforts to connect members to each other by creating special name tags for each person so they could get to know each other by name. In her last years, after she moved to Kingsway Retirement Home, she continued to sing with her neighbours around the piano in the lounge. She endured, with courage, in her Kingsway apartment, the various difficulties created by the Covid epidemic.
A Celebration of Merle’s life will be held at Turner and Porter, Yorke Chapel, 2357 Bloor St. W. on Sunday afternoon, April 7th from 2 to 4 p.m. Those who wish can share their special memories of Merle and their relationship with her in brief recollections beginning at 3 p.m. Light refreshments will be served during the Celebration of Life. If you wish, donations in Merle’s memory can be made to the Alzheimer’s Society of Toronto.
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Turner & Porter - Yorke Chapel
2357 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON, M6S 1P4
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