CLAIRE JOYCE WEISSMAN WILKS

CLAIRE JOYCE WEISSMAN WILKS 1933 - 2017 On Wednesday, January 25, 2017, at 8:27 p.m., the beautiful and beloved Claire Weissman Wilks (née Claire Joyce Wilks) died after a valiant and courageous fight against leukemia. Her wish to be at peace and without pain, in her bed, in her home, came true, in company with her spouse, children and grandchildren, listening to the music she loved. Claire is survived by her spouse, Barry Callaghan; her children, Renay Weissman-Stanners and her husband Greg Stanners, and her sons, Joshua and David Lecker and David's wife, Samantha; Andrea Weissman-Daniels and her husband, Mark Daniels, and their daughter, Cassidy; Eric Weissman; Peter Weissman and his wife Michelle, and their two daughters, Shannon and Iris; and her extended family Michael Callaghan and his wife Gabriela Campos Callaghan, and their two sons, Kellen and Kaedán. And by Claire's sister, Wilma Pinkus and her husband, Philip Pinkus. Over 22 months (beating the prognosis of three weeks to three months) we were fortunate to have experienced so much that might never have been, adding to a lifetime of memories so rare. Claire always insisted that her life was a great party each and every day, with so much to enjoy and enjoy. Throughout Claire's illness, Barry rarely left her side. Her children and grandchildren also took special care to ensure her comfort. A private shwake (a party that was both shiva and wake) was held at the Callaghan-Wilks home on Saturday, January 28th, attended by close family and friends who openly cherished her to the point of weeping even as they heard testimonials from her family, ate heartily and listened to the deeply moving Flying Bulgar Klezmer quartet and were mesmerized by Dominic Mancuso as he sang the ancient Sicilian songs that she loved. If Claire ever spoke of an afterlife, it was only to say that she hoped to find herself in heaven with her four dogs, Jive, C-Jam, Jazz (the Bishop) and especially Be-Bop, who, as it happened, died in the midst of her sickness - and although stone cold blind the last two years of his life, he had kept on, like his mistress, going and going and going, even though the dark was as deep as it could get, always finding her, giving love, taking love, as she loved and was loved. In May, friends and family and those who came to know of Claire as an artist and wonderful person who touched the lives of so many, will come together to express their admiration and love of this great and refined woman who has left us too early. (If you would like to be informed of when and where, please email: ClaireWeissmanWilks@gmail.com) The family would like to thank Doctor Andre Schuh and his Fellows; Nurse Practitioner Alix Duck of Team 10 at Toronto General hospital; Doctor Sandy Buchman of the Temmy Latner Centre for Palliative Care at Mount Sinai hospital; RN Natalia Karasic; the Nurse Practitioners, all the nurses and all those associated at the Transfusion Unit of Princess Margaret Hospital who attended to Claire with concern, admiration and an affection bordering on love; RN Jean Lewis and RPN Rochelle Macasa. Donations can be made to Claire's favourite charity: the Canadian Wildlife Federation, 1-800-563-9453 or http://cwf-fcf.org/en/foundation