Maureen White

WHITE Maureen While it is with great sadness that we announce the death of our Mom, Maureen White (nee Collins) on Wednesday evening, January 15, 2020 she constantly reminded us, with a smile on her face and joy in her heart, that when she died, we were to celebrate her life and not mourn her passing… and so we will. She lived her life with tremendous love and conviction but knew, with her strong faith, that the time had come for her to leave this earth for her desired resting place, to join those she loved who went before her, in heaven. This was the guiding principal by which she lived her life and so, for her, this is not the end, but the beginning and we are grateful that she is at peace. Family was her first love and for that reason, she always made sure that she carved out time for them, no matter what that meant! Nothing pleased her more than a big celebration with everyone at her home, which, of course, had to include music. More on this later. Birthday lunches with Nan were a highlight for the grandkids living in town and summer vacations at Nan’s house were a must for the grandkids who lived out of town. Mom always had time for every person in her life and so there was always a crowd at her house, but nothing was ever a “big deal”. We take this time to remember someone who touched the hearts of everyone she met. Her relationships were plentiful. She was Mom, mother-in-law, sister, sister-in-law, Nanny, great-grandma and a wonderful friend to many. Her reach was so wide spread that she was also the “Nanny of Kidcorp” for many years, which her grandchildren didn’t mind since they knew she had so much to give. While her first love was family, it was followed closely by music, which up to the moment of her death, continued to touch her heart. Anyone visiting her home would be met with at least 3 different music sources since she believed that you should enjoy music everywhere you go – whether cleaning upstairs, cooking on the main level or doing the laundry downstairs. Mom was into “mixing” long before it was a trend. She is remembered and will always be in the hearts of her children, Debbie, Beverley (Cameron Dewar), Trudy (George Dzuro), Roslyn (Gary Bennett), Elaine and Jackie; her sister, Joan Sparrow; her 24 grandchildren and their spouses, and her 15 great-grandchildren. She is now with those who predeceased her including her late husband, Jack White; her sons, Garry and Paul; her grandchildren, Jacklyn Bennett and Natasha White; her sister, Ruth; her brothers, Gus and Doug, and a countless number of friends. We would be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge with heartfelt thanks and appreciation our sister Jackie who was the prime caregiver and constant companion to Mom over her last years – Jackie’s vigilance in attending to Mom’s needs gave the rest of us much needed assurance that Mom was in good hands. To the end, Jackie was her cheerleader when Mom simply didn’t think she had any more to give. Last but certainly not least, our thanks to Karen McGrath who assisted Mom with so many of her daily needs and provided backup to Jackie in Mom’s final years and through that, gained a special place in her heart. On behalf of our Mom, we would like to thank Dr. Heather Woodland and Dr. Siobhan Kavanagh who made multiple house calls in Mom’s final weeks and worked tirelessly to keep her as comfortable as possible to the end. She will be laid to rest at Caul's Funeral Home with viewing to be announced at a later date. To allow time for her family to come home to celebrate her passing to the next chapter of her life, her Funeral Mass will be Monday, January 27 at 9:30 a.m. from Pius X Church on Smithville Crescent. Inurnment to follow at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. Flowers accepted or donations may be made to Bridges to Hope.