Aisha Tara UMAR

1969 - 2019

AISHA TARA UMAR Passed away on Saturday, November 23, 2019 at Bridgepoint Hospital in Toronto, ON. Born October 29, 1969 in Lahore, Pakistan; she is survived by her beloved daughter Yasmin Tara Umar, and her parents Kishwar and Pervez Umar. The family immigrated to Canada when Aisha was three years old and she lived variously in Montreal, Calgary, and the Toronto area. Aisha excelled at the Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School in Calgary, then at a BA at the University of Calgary, before earning her MBA at Queen's University. A small sample of awards, activities, and extracurricular accomplishments included Miss Teen Calgary, modelling, and the Gold Standard of The Duke of Edinburgh's Award. Thereafter, her career, mostly at the executive level, spanned several IT firms, such as IBM, Microsoft, AT&T, the Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and D2L. Whether a life-long or a recent friend, a co-worker, or a fellow student, Aisha was always an inspiring presence. She had a fundamental belief that the world is there to be lived to its fullest, and with many possibilities to be explored. She possessed a zest for life, with the finest blend of mischief and adventure, believing that things were put in front of us to grab hold of and experience. And she believed in the strength and power of a community, in all its diversity, and that together we could do anything; and often reminding us by saying "We've got this..." Aisha was a great friend and partner, both at work or at play, and those who had the joy of having her in their life always felt the encouragement and support she provided. She also genuinely cared much for others, and protective of those she believed in. The fiercest love of all was dedicated to her daughter Yasmin. Aisha displayed great courage, determination, and perseverance especially in her battle against the cancer which finally took her from this Earth just past her fiftieth year. A special thank you to the doctors, nurses, and staffs of Mt. Sinai Hospital, Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto General Hospital, and Bridgepoint Hospital - especially Drs. Burkes, Cleary, Gallagher, Gryfe, and Kitchen - and the family doctor, Dr. Kotzer, without whom the battle would have been much shorter. The funeral service is at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, November 25, 2019 at the Islamic Foundation, 441 Nugget Avenue, Scarborough, M1S 5E1. After the funeral service, the burial will take place at York Cemetery, 160 Beecroft Road, Toronto (Young and Sheppard area). A celebration of life to follow; date and place to be determined. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Mt. Sinai at: support.supportsinai.com; click on "Donate," and then on "In Memorial," or "Grateful Hearts" with thanks to Dr. Burkes.