Eva PETRAS

1950 - 2022

EVA PETRAS June 23, 1950 - March 9, 2022 With great sadness we announce the passing of the Honourable Eva Petras, Associate Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Quebec, at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montréal from cancer. Predeceased by her parents, George and Lidia Petras and her beloved husband, Larry Eldridge, she leaves in mourning her brother, Paul Petras; her cousins in Canada Mary and Henry Milczewski, Richard Kanath, Vlad and Eleanor Petras; and numerous relatives in Slovakia. She will be greatly missed by her lifelong friends George Pilar, Lodzia Milczewska, Debbie Fischer and Laura Siwiec. The family gratefully acknowledges the tremendous, round the clock, support provided to Eva both at home and in the hospital in her final months by her close friends: Hanna Pilar, Miriam Grassby, Martha Shea, Darlene Pearson, Lydia Walter, Ilona Robillard. THANK YOU! Eva leaves behind her many dear friends, including those in Montreal's Slovak community, in the legal community, and her colleagues of the Judiciary of Quebec and across Canada. Eva obtained her B.A from Marianopolis College in 1971 and after time spent in Australia she returned to Montreal. Sports were very important to her and she obtained work at the Montreal Olympics (COJO) in the Modern Pentathlon. It was there she met Larry and made many lasting friendships. In 1980 Eva obtained her law degree from McGill University. After practicing civil and commercial law, she set up her own practice where she became a sought-after family law specialist. She was appointed to the Superior Court of Quebec in 2006 and was named Associate Chief Justice in 2015. Eva was always generous with her time and believed in giving back, whether to the Slovak community (the Slovak Scholarship fund) or to the legal community. She taught family law at McGill University for three years and was an active member of the Quebec, Montreal and Canadian Bar Associations, serving on many committees. She sat on both the General Council of the Quebec Bar and the Montreal Bar Council. In addition to her role as a sitting judge and later as Associate Chief Justice, she was active at the Canadian Judicial Council. She loved her work with the National Judicial Institute, stressing the importance of understanding the diversity of people coming into the courtroom and how to treat them with compassion and respect. She had a talent for delivering educational content with poise, academic rigour, and a healthy sense of humour, and presented at countless conferences for the Quebec Superior Court and for judges across the country and internationally. Eva embodied the word "Honourable" in her title. She acted with the highest integrity in everything she did. She was infallibly gracious and warm towards her colleagues. She always treated people appearing before her in Court with great respect. Her friends and family will never forget her warm heart, her immense love of life, her sense of humour and the joy she brought to their lives. Eva's family thanks Jacques Fournier, Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Quebec and his spouse Suzanne Coutu for their invaluable support and kindness throughout this difficult period. In her final days, Eva was sincerely touched by the love and admiration expressed to her in the many beautiful letters written by her colleagues on the Bench as well as her much loved administrative staff. The family also thanks the doctors and staff at the Royal Victoria Hospital who cared compassionately for her during the last weeks of her life. A public celebration of life and memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 26, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. at the Mount Royal Funeral Complex, at 1297 Chemin de la Forêt, Outremont, H2V 2P9. The Mount Royal Funeral Complex will broadcast Eva Petras' ceremony on Saturday, March 26, at 11 a.m. You will be able to watch it live or in replay via funeraweb.tv/en/diffusions/49128. Later this year, Eva will be buried at her late husband's gravesite in a private family event. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Supporting Scholarship Fund (McGill Law) in honour of Eva Petras at www.alumni.mcgill.ca/give/index.php?allocations=08656, the Cedars Cancer Foundation or the Montreal General Hospital Foundation.