LYNN MARGARET FRANCIS

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Lynn Margaret Francis on November 5, 2025, at the age of 60 at Toronto General Hospital following her battle with cancer and liver disease. Lynn was predeceased by her mother, Elizabeth "Liz" Francis; and is survived by and will be missed dearly by her husband, Mark Lecker; her children, Mason and Eliza Lecker; her father, William "Bill" Francis; her brother, John Francis (Susan Caskey); her sister, Maryann Francis; her Aunt, Margaret Johnstone; her sister-in-law, Hallie Fraser (Martin Sutherland); her nieces and nephews, Kaitlyn, Jessica, Will, Tori, Nicholas, and Fraser; our long time nanny/housekeeper, Renecel; and our crazily barking, but loyal family dog, Fritz. Lynn was born in Toronto to Bill and Liz Francis, and was raised in the Francis family home on Chaplin Crescent, with Oriole Park as her backyard playground. She attended North Toronto High School, following which she went on in her higher education to earn three degrees: Bachelor of English at Western (Huron College), Master of English at U of T, and an MBA at Western. Lynn actively worked in the family business, Trader Media, during its formative years before going on to a successful career in marketing and advertising at General Mills, Pillsbury, and Fallon. Lynn's fierce competitive will and fight showed in everything she ever did, notably in the health challenges she faced throughout her life. She was as tenacious and feisty as they come! She also exemplified a spirit of adventure that was a driving force in her activities. She loved to be outdoors and kept active by running, hiking, cycling, snowshoeing, playing tennis, or anything else that raised her heartrate in the fresh air. Her famously long walks would often have her two legged and even four legged companions begging to turn around. Her passion for travel, food, and exploring new places led her around the globe and taught her many fascinating and practical skills, such as learning from a monkey in Thailand how to open a banana with a flick of her wrist. Lynn's sense of humour was one of her defining characteristics, and she loved to laugh as much as she made others laugh. She was also an amazing conversationalist, being well-informed on a wide range of topics. She used a communication style that was highly engaging, posing questions that would draw others into the conversation and have them feel that they were being listened to. Lynn carried on the Francis Family traditional love of music. She could play piano and easily carry a tune, performing a parody song she penned or belting out a show tune in celebration of a friend or family member's birthday or anniversary. Lynn was exceptionally loyal and protective as a wife and mother, and Mark, Mason, and Eliza were the pride and loves of her life. Nothing gave her more joy than seeing their achievements and happiness. Although generally low profile as a philanthropist, Lynn was exceptionally generous with not only her money, but also her time. She served on charity boards, volunteered for less glamorous jobs, and was always ready to lend an ear or open her heart to a friend who was experiencing life challenges. Right up until the end, Lynn continued to demonstrate her Chief Empathy Officer traits, offering comfort and compassion to those who were emotional while trying to comfort her, and all while keeping her infectious sense of humour. Everyone who encountered Lynn during her final days agreed that she had never been funnier. We would like to thank the staff at Toronto General Hospital and Princess Margaret Hospital, as well as the countless number of friends and extended family that supported Lynn and our family during the challenging time of her illness. A special shout out to Dr. Jordan Feld, Director of Research for the Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, who was Lynn's long time liver doctor, one of her many cheerleaders, and a great friend. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating blood https://www.blood.ca, which would be a very meaningful act to our family. You may also consider a charitable donation in Lynn's memory to any of the following worthy causes that Lynn supported: Francis Family Liver Clinic: https://support.uhnfoundation.ca/site/Donation2?mfc_pref=T&df_id=4700&4700.donation=form1 Princess Margaret Cancer Centre: https://thepmcf.ca/ Fred Victor: https://www.fredvictor.org/ A Celebration of Life is being contemplated for a later date.