Wilma Florence Pinkus

On a perfect May day, with the sun streaming through her panoramic windows and the sounds of classical music playing in the background, Wilma decided to say farewell and begin the next chapter in her remarkable life.

Wilma was a woman of many talents – a loving wife, educator, artist, advocate, mother and friend to many.

Wilma got her big break when she decided to attend a holiday party at the Royal York Hotel; she walked into the elevator and encountered a tall, handsome man who was laughing because he had put on two different socks; 6 months after meeting Phil she was engaged on the longest day of the year and 6 months later was married on the longest night of the year. It was a marriage that had all of the hallmarks of a storied romance where love, respect and support endured for 64 years.

The family moved to Ottawa from Vancouver so Phil could start a job with Revenue Canada; after establishing roots in the City, Wilma became a teacher in the Art Department at a local high school; she was eventually posted to the High School of Commerce, a vocational school, where she was Head of the Art Department and a much-admired teacher. Many of her students remained in touch after Wilma retired from teaching because of her dedication and passion as an educator.

As if teaching and raising 3 young boys was not enough, Wilma decided she needed a side hustle as a water colour artist; she would spend her summers travelling around the world with Phil capturing both scenic and iconic images which ended up in both private and corporate collections. Her work was both joyful and inspiring leaving buyers with a glimpse into Wilma’s vision of the world and her very special and unique gift as a painter.

Sometime in her 30’s, she discovered that she was losing feelings in her fingers and extremities; she was eventually diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, which was the reason her career as an educator had to end and which eventually led her to transition from a cane, to walker, to wheelchair to then special lift to get out of bed. Wilma’s frustration in losing her independence while encountering many challenges with accessibility in her community was the reason she became a strong advocate for better services for the disabled in her universe.

Wilma was a caring mother to 3 boys – Paul, David and Mark – and took great pride in our individual accomplishments and careers. Her friendships with fellow educators and artists in Ottawa was of great importance to Wilma and left a big void in her life when she moved to Toronto with Phil when greater family support was required.

After 94 great years, Wilma crossed the finish line with a flourish and is now looking for new vistas to paint and her husband who brought so much happiness and love to her life. She is survived by her 3 children, DIL Sharon and GD Emily.

In celebration of her life, friends are invited to make a donation to the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada.