GLADYS MARGARET OSLER MORE

(née Johnston) (October 21, 1932 – October 20, 2025) Sorrowfully, but with profound gratitude for a life well-lived and loved, we announce the loss of our adored and much admired mother, Margot. She is likely arranging dinner for friends in another realm, where a good conversation awaits. Margot's journey through life was marked by an intrepid spirit, irrepressible sense of humour, and a strong sense of kinship. Predeceased by her parents, Gladys (Killam Pennock) and Roderick W. S. Johnston, Margot leaves four loving daughters, Barbara (Richard, deceased), Trish (Warren), Dede, and Diana (Warren); her sister, Catherine Johnston, Ottawa; brother, David Johnston, Oakville; and eight grandchildren, Samantha, Caileigh (Thomas), Jaime (Cam), Robyn (Tom), Harry (Emily), Emily, Conal (Olympia), and Strachan (Morgan). Lovingly remembered by seven great-grandchildren along with her More stepchildren and Walker and Bradeen step-grandchildren; she will be fondly missed by cousins, nieces, nephews, godchildren, and countless dear friends across Canada. It is astonishing to think of how many lives she affected and how much joy and laughter she brought to all. Raised in Toronto and educated at Branksome Hall and The Bishop Strachan School, Margot pursued Occupational Therapy at the University of Toronto. Characteristically, this led not to a therapeutic practice but to a stint modelling hats for Hardy Amies in England. Returning to Toronto, Margot worked at Shelagh's, a boutique shop promoting mid-century Scandinavian design. Married in 1956 to Glyn Osler, she formed lifelong family friendships with Dad's R.M.C. and Ridley chums and their wives. An ardent reader, she lived by E. M. Forster's credo: only connect. Mum was a consummate connector. She leaned into others' lived experiences, meeting people right where they are. During the 1970s in Toronto, she gracefully balanced raising her girls with pioneering a career in real estate at Martin & Meredith, later joining the management team at Johnston & Daniel. She instilled the importance of family, the values of resilience and independence, and the courage to persevere despite life's challenges. Margot was magnetic: utterly unpretentious, warm, and wise, she was endlessly fascinated by the stories of others. She was always welcoming and unfailingly found room at the table for a new face. Dinners together were noisy, fun, and often unruly, with Mum steadfastly navigating a course through provocative discussions on the hot topics of the day. When all was said and done, she would retreat with a book, confident that her delight in bringing family and friends together had worked magic. To the end, she remained informed and engaged with current events. Margot relished happy family times at Elsinore Island, the family's summer residence on Lake Joseph, Muskoka. In 1987, she married neighbouring islander, Richard More, and relocated to Buffalo, New York, where she established city tours through the university's Friends of the School of Architecture, sharing her knowledge and enthusiasm for housing and design. From there, she returned to her beloved Muskoka, immersing herself in the organization of the Bala Cranberry Festival, eventually retiring to Kingston. In her 93rd year at the Sharbot Lake Retirement Residence where she spent her final years, Margot was a force of light and love. She cherished new friends, galvanizing them in gleeful campaigns for a candy trolley, chair yoga, and the installation of a new library. Ever youthful, Margot shared her natural joie de vivre with everyone she encountered, brightening so many lives. In celebrating Margot's legacy, we remember the love she cultivated and the connections she forged along every path – testament to a life that continues to inspire us all. A memorial service for family and friends will be held on Friday, December 12, at 2:00 p.m., at the Church of St. Peter & St. Simon-the-Apostle, 525 Bloor St. East, Toronto. In lieu of flowers, kindly raise a glass in her honour tonight, remembering her greatest wish was to bring happiness and mirth to the fold.