Mary Campbell Hecht

HECHT, Mary Campbell (nee Kobayashi) - Our beloved Mom, Granny and "Granny-great" died Sunday September 29th, 2008 in her 89th year after a brief illness. Mary was born in Calgary to Harry Kobayashi and Mary Campbell Jamieson. Her family, including Betty (Arnold Issenman) and Gordon, eventually settled in Montreal where her father and an uncle had a successful importing business. Harry was in Japan on a buying trip when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour, so he was unable to return to Canada and the family had a difficult time for many years. Mary was greatly affected by the restrictions on the Japanese in Canada during the war, finding it difficult to work in her chosen career as a public health nurse. She married Maurice Hecht (deceased 2001) in December 1942. After the war, they moved to Toronto where she put her life and soul into raising her two sons, Peter (Lily) and Chris (Jean Weir). In the early 1950s, she was involved with the 'Ban the Bomb' movement and the Voice of Women. When the time came to branch out again, she worked at Black Creek Pioneer Village, researching and buying artifacts for display. In the 1970s, Mary went back to University of Toronto to train as a primary school teacher. She had several wonderful years teaching immigrant children at Kensington Community School in downtown Toronto before ill health forced her to retire. Since then she has been devoted Granny to Ian (Mandi), Duncan (Melanie), Benjy, Julian and Christina. She was the favourite aunt of Joanne, Ellen (Allan Broder) and Peggy Issenman; and Michael, Ken (June), Peter (Trish) and Linda (Glenn Blanchfield) Kobayashi. In the last five years she rejoiced in the addition of three great-grandchildren, Caleb, Grace and Isaiah. Mary was beloved by many, always taking an interest in others and has left many long-time friends. She always had an interest in the arts, endowing the Canadian Opera Company and Toronto Symphony Orchestra as well as enjoying season tickets to several theatre groups. We will all miss her. There will be a celebration of her life on October 25. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the charity of your choice.