Marie Wolfs, wife, mother, grandmother, and teacher, died peacefully, surrounded by the whole family at her bedside praying the Rosary on Good Friday, April 18, 2025.
Marie was born Marie Teresa Elvira Pereira in Karachi on June 6, 1937 to parents Gabriel and Florence Pereira. As a high school student at St. Patrick’s Cathedral School, she didn’t allow her academic honours and achievements to interfere with her primary commitment to mischief and laughter! After attaining her Psychology/English Literature degree at the University of Karachi, Marie landed in New York 1960 to work for the Pakistani Mission at the UN.

The Big Apple inspired the beautiful love story of William and Marie -- an officer in the Dutch navy, William met his beautiful bride-to-be in a cafe at the YWCA and would go on to write to her every week for two years! His persistence paid off! Marie Pereira married William Wolfs in Amsterdam on March 21, 1964.

With son, baby Valens in tow, the couple settled in Canada and grew the family, blessed with daughter, Sarina, and son, Brian, both born in Montreal. As a busy mom, Marie would go on to attain her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology at Concordia University and her Teacher’s training at McGill, Montreal, before entering a 27 year career in education as a high school teacher and Community College Instructor. Marie loved to teach. She loved her students. The feeling was mutual as they used to call her ‘mom’. Reluctantly, she retired in June, 2000, soon after William. In her retirement, Marie pursued her interest in painting, increased her work as a volunteer in the Catholic Women’s League, helped Dr. Simone’s Food for Children charity, and answered the phone at Birthright Mississauga.

‘With your mother, there’s never a dull moment’ William used to say. An entrepreneur at heart, Marie found time along the way to set up her own Business School, enlisting a reluctant William to teach Accounting at night, and creating Universal Importing to sell Dutch dinner silverware and Rijksmuseum prints as two examples.

A beautiful spirit, kind, giving, a giggler, devout and prayerful, Marie will sorely be missed by all of us and many more whose lives she touched!

Marie is survived by William, her devoted and dearly beloved husband of 61 years , her son Valens and wife Maria Wolfs, daughter Sarina and husband Zoran Zivkovic, and son Brian and wife Jennifer along with grandsons Sebastian, Nathaniel, and Zachary Wolfs. She is preceded in death by Gabriel, Florence, brothers Philip and Valens, and half-sisters Violet White and Ena Clayton.

The Family would like to thank the dedicated team of PSWs, nurses and support staff that cared so lovingly for Marie in her final months. Your kindness will never be forgotten.

The Visitation will be held on Wednesday, April 23, from 5-8 pm at Turner and Porter Funeral Home, 1981 Dundas St West in Mississauga.

The Funeral Mass is 10:00 am Thursday, April 24, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 5440 Durie Rd, Mississauga (Streetsville). After Mass, the Interment will take place at Assumption Catholic Cemetery, 6933 Tomken Rd, also in Mississauga. Reception to follow back at St. Joseph’s

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Missionaries of the Poor (Canada) -- and Don Bosco Missions (see donation box below)