MARILYN JANE WOODS

(née Clayton) (Saturday, August 13, 1938 - Wednesday, September 24, 2025) In loving memory of Marilyn Jane Woods, who passed away in Toronto in her 88th year. Loving mother of Lisa (Derek McAvoy) and Pamela. Proud grandmother of Jack, Noelle, Duncan, Heidi, Robbie and Reid. Daughter of the belated Frank and Florence Clayton. Sister of the late Don Clayton, and sister-in-law of Don's wife, Rita. Aunt of Christine Clayton. Marilyn was born at St. Joseph's Hospital in Toronto and lived throughout the Greater Toronto Area for most of her life. Whether in Dunbarton (just west of Pickering), in High Park on Indian Road, or in Etobicoke on East Glen Crescent, Marilyn lived with her small family - which usually included at least one cat - until she graduated from Grade 13 at Etobicoke Collegiate Institute. She later obtained a BScN in Nursing from The University of Western Ontario (which her brother and daughters also would later attend), and trained at the Toronto Western Hospital, where she would become its youngest-ever Head Operating Room Nurse for that time. She also worked as a nurse for a time in Florida. As women often did back then, once she had married, Marilyn resigned from her nursing job and went on to have two healthy baby girls. She once said that the happiest days of her life were when her daughters were young, when she was a full-time mother. After more than a decade of parenting, Marilyn returned to paid work, first at Humber River Memorial Hospital as an Operating Room Nurse, and then at Toronto's Home Care program, where she was quickly promoted to Supervisor for the region of Toronto, including downtown hospitals. She enjoyed this work and remained there until she retired in the 1990s. In retirement, Marilyn enjoyed a leisurely life in each of her homes on La Rose Avenue in Etobicoke, Tansley Drive in Oakville, and Mill Road in Etobicoke. She loved each of her grandchildren very much and spent as much time with them as she could, moving to Oakville to be near Pam's children, and later moving to Etobicoke to be near Lisa's sons. Marilyn loved cats, and raised her daughters first with "Mother," and then with Buffy. Her last pet was a Maltese-Pomeranian called Mac. She passed onto her children a love for animals, and a silly, infectious cat voice still used by at least several of her family members! We are so thankful for the medical care our mother received at Humber River Hospital and the Reactivation Care Centre's Finch site. We also wish to thank everyone at Chartwell Scarlett Heights Retirement Residence for their kindness, patience and support over the past three years. In lieu of flowers, we encourage you to consider a donation in our mother's name to the Etobicoke Humane Society. Condolences may be sent to the family of Marilyn Woods in care of the Turner & Porter Yorke Chapel, 2357 Bloor St. W., Toronto, ON M6S 1P4.