Peacefully, early on Monday, May 7, 2018, at the age of 87, at St Joseph’s Health Centre, Toronto. Michele (Jelka) was born on November 14, 1930 in Celje, Slovenia (formerly Yugoslavia). Devoted wife of Anton (Tony) Podplatnik, beloved mother of Tina Jennings, cherished grandmother of Sasha, Michael and Katya Jennings, and dear great-grandmother of Alasdair Anton Jennings. Michele passed away after a long struggle with dementia, with her husband of 60 years by her side. After working on the Yugoslav Railways in the 1950s, Michele emigrated to Canada in 1958, having married her husband in Graz, Austria in November 1957. They arrived in North America by ship, departing from Bremen, Germany via New York to Toronto. Michele took to the immigrant experience with enthusiasm, learning English by night, in addition to her German and native Slovene, and taking evening courses to further her skills in a variety of interests, including accounting, investment, dress-making and cooking. A long-time employee of the Royal Bank of Canada at its downtown Toronto headquarters in the 1970s and 1980s, Michele was also an avid reader in multiple languages, and could often be found in a quiet corner of the Runnymede public library in Bloor West Village. In retirement, Michele loved to drive her Volkswagen Beetle anywhere and everywhere, and travelled extensively with her family over the years, enjoying many trips to Europe, Russia and New Zealand. By then, she had already criss-crossed North America several times in a Volkswagen camper-van. Summers in later life were spent in Slovenia, the land of her roots, as well as several years in Oxford, England, residing there with her daughter and three grandchildren. Michele will be lovingly remembered by all whom she touched with her gentleness, her kindness, and her generosity of spirit, for helping those in need and less fortunate than herself, whether close friends or total strangers, and for her lifelong dedication to her family. She will be forever alive in our hearts.

Our family would like to thank the dedicated and professional staff of White Eagle Long Term Care Residence for their specialist care of Michele since February 2013. We are also profoundly grateful for the compassionate, end-of-life care she received at St Joe’s in the last three weeks of her decline, in particular from Dr Dominic Lehnert and Dr Heather Fieghen, and the outstanding nursing staff, notably Monique, Matthew, Keisha, and Laura at the end.

A memorial visitation will take place on Thursday, May 10, 2018 from 7-9 p.m. at the Turner & Porter Yorke Chapel, 2357 Bloor Street West. A memorial service will follow on Friday, May 11th at 11 a.m. in the Chapel, followed by a lunch reception. Private family interment at Mount Pleasant Cemetery to follow cremation at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer Society of Canada.