Jean Elizabeth Blake

June 7, 1933 – September 27, 2020

Jean Blake passed away on Sunday, September 27 in St. Joseph’s Hospital, Toronto in palliative care. She was born in Timmins, Ontario, to Marjorie Blake (nee Brydson) and Albert Arthur Blake.

Jean faced vision and hearing problems with grit and determination. When she was fourteen, her family moved to the Blake farm in Sydenham, Ontario. Later, Jean moved to Toronto where she worked for the Federal Government Department of Health until her retirement. For many of those years, Jean lived with her aunt, Eva Brydson, and together they travelled to places such as Paris and Pasadena and made frequent trips back to the farm. Jean became an avid and knowledgeable fan of live theatre, musicals, and the Toronto Blue Jays. Throughout her life she was a skilled knitter.

After retirement, “Jeannie” enjoyed the friendships of the Don Mills Better Living Centre computer club. Her computer, with its cat screensaver, was a valuable diversion during COVID. Jean was faithful in visiting her mother and aunts in Toronto care homes for years.

Jean was predeceased by her parents; younger brother John Blake (Saskatoon); her Blake and Brydson aunts and uncles; and by cousins Donald and Betty Craig and Gale Smyth. She is survived by her sister-in-law Virginia Blake (Saskatoon); nieces Katherine Blake (Saskatoon) and Lynn Blake (Calgary); her cousin Neil (Ursula) Craig (Toronto) who, in these last years, has been invaluable in caring for her; and numerous other Craig, Caunter, and Brydson cousins.

Thank you to the staff of Canterbury Place Retirement Residence; The Chartwell Grenadier; friends and computer gurus Dave Greenaway and Sandra Wellington; Personal Care Worker, Frances; and the staff of St. Joseph’s hospital, especially 2 East, 4 East and Palliative Care