Mary MCTAVISH

1932 - 2022

MARY MCTAVISH Passed away peacefully at Toronto General Hospital on January 26, 2022. Born in Cornwall, Ontario, on August 31, 1932, Mary Louise McTavish of Toronto, was in her 90th year. Loved daughter of the late Charles John McTavish and Mary "Bink" (née Telford) McTavish. Loving sister of Betsy Vint (John) of Spring, Texas, Nairne Brown of Owen Sound, and Doug McTavish (Noni) of Monterey, Massachusetts. Also missed by her numerous cousins, who adored her. Mary was a very loving, hands-on Aunt to her many nieces and nephews. They all loved spending time with her at her Leith cottage. She will be greatly missed by all those who crossed her path, and there were many folks. Although Mary did not have children of her own, she helped raise several generations of McTavish, Vint, Telford, Prohaska, Briggs, Arseneau and Stark children (to name a few of her extended family). Children never ceased to delight Mary McTavish, at least until they grew to be adults. Throughout her life, she would find every opportunity to spend time with her many nieces and nephews. Her innate curiosity of everything was delightfully infectious. Those of us who were privileged to enjoy time with her at an early age are blessed with a little of her zest for life and a love for learning. As a research librarian at the University of Toronto, she was a search engine long before the internet existed. As a woman, she remained always contemporary and yet still ahead of her time. She challenged her adult children along with every other adult she met. Attempts to match her wit came with either caution or bravery. We remember Mary with both fondness and deference. She made this world a smarter, better place and will be forever missed. Fluent in four languages, also a student of Gaelic. She graduated from the University of Toronto with a BA in historical and modern languages. She worked for ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) in Montreal, and obtained her library science degree in London, England. She returned to Toronto and worked as Librarian at John P. Robarts Library. She was very active with Amnesty International. She was also involved with the local Liberal Party, and she enjoyed working with Friends of Leith Church. The family wishes to thank her caregivers of the last seven years, Cecilia and Lolita and family. They gave her wonderful, compassionate care, for which we are so very grateful. A service to celebrate Mary's life will be held at a later date. Arrangements entrusted to Brian E. Wood Funeral Home, Owen Sound, 519-376-7492. As expressions of sympathy, memorial donations to Amnesty International, Save the Children, or Friends of Leith Church would be appreciated and can be made through the funeral home. Online condolences can be sent to the family by visiting Mary's memorial at www.woodfuneralhome.ca.