Mary Lenora Mahoney

Lenora died on June 3 after a long, full and happy life, including 63 wonderful years of marriage to her beloved Ed, who died in July 2019. She will be dearly missed by her daughters, Mary Ellen, Carolyn and Anne Louise; her sons-in-law, Andrew Bolton and Pierre LaViolette; her grandson, Eric (Caroline); her sister, Nan (Ken Lefebvre), and brother, Paul (Marilyn); Ed’s sister Helen Clarke; Ed’s brother, Lorne (Helen), many nieces and nephews and their children; and lots of long-time friends.

She loved life fiercely and was a true survivor: born two months premature, she weighed only 4 lbs at birth. At age six, she contracted polio, but it was treated quickly, with no lasting effects. She showed an early aptitude for music: her parents noticed this when, without any training, she was able to play “The Mosquitoes Parade” by ear after hearing an upstairs neighbour play it. (Turns out she had perfect pitch.) They fostered her talent by buying a Heintzman piano and signing her up for lessons. By age 15, she had earned her Grade 10 certificate. She could play almost any popular song or show tune by ear and was often in demand to play for singalongs at parties.

Lenora was nothing if not social. She moved 18 times (around Sudbury, North Bay, Ottawa and Toronto) before the age of 21 thanks to her father’s work as a food salesman, which taught her how to make and keep friends from an early age. Her Catholic faith was a great source of comfort and strength her whole life long.

Nursing training at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto was a memorable and much-loved time in Lenora’s life. She forged deep friendships with her classmates, and they kept in touch for over 60 years. She also taught nursing there, which she found rewarding; later, she returned to the hospital as a volunteer. Her training was useful as she and Ed raised their family: she took everyone’s various illnesses and injuries in stride. Also, her daughters learned well the importance of hand washing and became experts at doing hospital corners when making their beds.

In November 2017, Lenora had a major stroke, but in typical fashion, she didn’t let it prevent her from enjoying life. After moving to Christie Gardens in April 2018, she took part in many activities and was known for her positive attitude. She loved her daily visits with Ed, who moved into an apartment upstairs in June 2018. Time spent with her was characterized by her frequent expressions of love and gratitude. She often said how lucky and blessed she was, which was an inspiring lesson for us all. She seemed to laugh more than ever.

We wish to thank her devoted caregivers, Marilyn, Aireen, Dena and Noemi, as well as the kind and caring staff at Christie Gardens, including Dr. Stewart, her nurses, care partners, activity coordinators, and others who made her life better. Allison, Lenora’s patient advocate, was endlessly cheerful, resourceful and diplomatic, solved every problem and brightened our day whenever we saw her. We will always be grateful for the love and care Lenora received there.

In memory of Lenora, do something kind for a friend, listen to music you love or make a donation to the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, a livestreamed Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated online on Thursday, June 10, 2021, at 10:30 a.m. For online condolences and the link to the livestream of the funeral mass. Interment at Holy Cross Cemetery.