Maria began her life in Marsala, a small town on the west coast of Sicily, in a land of olives, oranges and sweet wine. She was the first child of Pietra Bivona and Pietro Casano, a seamstress and a farmer. Her father died suddenly when she was but 5 years old, while her mother was pregnant with Piera. Maria would sometimes share her memories of the scene around her father’s death. She remembers uncovering his face and giving him kisses while he lay waked at home; she thought he was only sleeping. She could not understand why the adults would burst into tears when they looked at her.
At the age of 15 Maria, Piera and Pietra left their homeland and arrived in Canada upon the ship Vulcana. They made their way to Toronto, where Pietra’s sister had already settled. Maria at once went to work with her mother in the garment district of Spadina, cutting lace; it was brutal work, she would explain, provoking blisters and tears. Maria took it upon herself to study English at night and would often thank God for her English tutor and mentor, Mrs. Mason. No biography about Maria would be complete without mentioning Mrs. Mason, who would tell her, “you cannot spend your life in a factory!” She supported and encouraged Maria in her studies while she adjusted to life in Canada. Listening to Maria speak about her, you get the impression that she would not have accomplished all that she did without the tutelage of Mrs. Mason. She was a heroine in Maria’s life, helped her turn it right around.
Thanks to Mrs. Mason, Maria enrolled in night school, and earned a high school diploma an accounting degree. She began her teaching career teaching commercial subjects way out in Dryden, Ontario, where she met friends she carried with her until the end of her life. She spoke warmly of the community she had in Dryden. Having accomplished this, however, Maria was nowhere near done! Maria continued her education at Brock University, where she earned her B.A. in 1976. By 2000, she was elected as a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario. Trailblazer that she was, she became the first female partner in her accounting firm, BDO-Dunwoody. She crafted an enviable career for herself, having spent the last decade before her retirement taking only the exciting travelling jobs! Maria saw the world, invited her friends along, and always brought back gifts from far-off lands. The collection of dolls of the world she gifted me was my favourite.
Maria generously shared her success with her family. As children, we, her nieces and nephew, were introduced to theatre, opera, trips downtown, fine dining. She took us on our first airplane rides, and on special trips to exotic places, one at a time. She inspired in me the desire to travel, and I did. I would meet up with her in Brussels, Milan, Paris. She set the lifestyle bar high, inspired success, adventure.
While neither of us could have known that her end was so near, we knew it was changing. After Piera’s death, life would never be the same. When Maria reflected aloud upon her life, as she did from time to time, she saw that it was good. She was proud of her accomplishments. She was so happy she saw the world. She was grateful for her family and friends, with whom she loved to spend time.
We spent our last months together eating well, as I endeavoured to prepare her Sicilian staples—handmade pasta, frittatas, mini meatballs, cannoli. We spent a lot of time in the kitchen! We walked near daily, enjoying the mild winter, delighting in feeding the ducks of Etobicoke creek, singing as we walked. I indulged her with massages, essential oils, and herbal baths to both help ease her pain suffering and stave off potential lockdown boredom. She could still hold her own at Scrabble and enjoyed the game even though her decades-long winning streak was through! We listened to her old record collection, which I rescued from the vaults. We were just getting into a good movie watching groove. I realized that our time together was limited and precious, and attempted to learn Sicilian from her. I got as far as Vitti na Crozza and Ciuri Ciuri, which she thought was pretty good. She was an exacting teacher. I am blessed to have had her in my life in this way in the last several years. We helped each other adjust to life without my mother, to be sure. I saw her pain of the death of her own mother and other tragedies of our lineage, too. I am better for it all.
Mia Zia, though our hearts are heavy with sorrow, I am happy for your great escape. Your suffering is over. May we celebrate the time we had with her, give thanks for the many gifts, and rejoice that her spirit is free and reunited with her family once again.
