WILLA ISOBEL KING (nee McLachlan) of Thornhill, passed away peacefully in her sleep at the age of ninety-four at the Markhaven Home for Seniors in Markham. Born in Magnetawan, Ontario on April 8th, 1930 to William and Pearl McLachlan, Willa grew up in Magnetawan and married her childhood hometown sweetheart , Jack, on August 4th, 1951. Jack and Willa lived their entire working life in Toronto including their first house in Rexdale and later their longtime residence at 25 Goodyear Crescent in Willowdale. Willa went to Burks Falls High School and was an outstanding student winning many awards. If she was from another time and place, she would have certainly gone on to university. This love of, and support for, education was both her passion and a vocation in her life. Starting at Empire Life at their Toronto Head Office in 1950 after graduating high school, Willa took some years off work with her family before returning to work at A.Y. Jackson Secondary School in North York for over twenty-five years, initially as Guidance Secretary where she loved to interact with the students and help them plan their post-secondary lives, and then later as Head Secretary; a role that she also loved. She and Jack loved to entertain and socialize and there are many photos of festive parties, dressed up both in fancy suits and dresses and in costumes having fun with their good friends, particularly Joan and Jim Jenkins. Willa was a long-time member of Thornhill United Church along with her husband Jack. In her spare time, she loved playing cards and taught games to all her extended family and led many rousing games of euchre, cribbage, rummy and more at the cottage both evenings and rainy days. Another of her passions was the family cottage on Lake Cecebe near her childhood home. She and Jack built the cottage in 1961 and the subsequent bunkie and barn and loved their time there together with family and friends above all else. They were founding members of the Cecebe Waterways Association and loved the shared improvement projects, corn roasts, and fellowship. Willa especially looked forward to her role overseeing points and organizing winner’s ribbons at the Annual Regatta over many, many years. Willa was predeceased by her husband and life-long love, Jack King and is survived by her son John, daughter-in-law Lisa (nee Sprostranov), and their boys Thomas and Matthew who were the joy of “Grandma Willa’s” life and who she never forgot, even while other memories sometimes slipped away and she loved to talk to them about their academic achievements and their life. She talked often in her final days of joining her siblings Shirley Elliot (Graham, deceased), Pearl Gibson (Ian, deceased) and Don McLachlan (Ray) as well as her parents in the next life. Her family and friends send special thanks to her many doctors and caregivers, particularly at Markhaven, that supported her. Family will receive condolences on Monday, July 22ndst, 2024 from 2 to 4 pm at Kane-Jerrett Funeral Home at 8088 Yonge St., Thornhill immediately followed by the funeral at the same location. There is a graveside Memorial Service planned at the Chapman Cemetery on Saturday August 3rd at 11:00 am, all family and friends are welcome and casual or cottage attire will be welcome. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Willa may be made to a charity of your choice.
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