Obituary of Margaret Leamen

LEAMEN, Margaret Jean Died quietly and without distress, of heart failure, Saturday, January 16th, in her 101st year. She was born April 30, 1909 in Toronto, the daughter of Will and Margaret Dryden and grew up on their farm, Maple Shade, near Brooklin, Ontario. Her sister, Mary Dryden Willis, and a brother, John Dryden, predeceased her. Jean was educated in a one room school house, then in Toronto at Moulton Ladies College and McMaster University ('29). She married her college sweetheart Robert James Leamen, a teacher and athletic coach at Lawrence Park Collegiate. Jimmy served overseas in the RCAF during the Second World War, reaching the rank of Wing Commander. In 1949, at the age of 42, he died of polio, leaving Jean to raise three daughters, Janet, Nancy and Barbara. Gramma Jean supported her family by working as private secretary to the Ontario Minister of Mines and later working with the Canadian Cancer Society and the Canadian Osteoporosis Association. For a decade she taught business practice at Collingwood Collegiate Institute. Sadly, in 1990, her youngest daughter, Janet died of a rare bone cancer, leaving her husband Michael Enright and Jean's three grandchildren, Anthony, Nancy and Daniel Jean loved music, played the piano for much of her life and was always physically active. An avid golfer, she was a member of the Toronto Ladies Golf Club. She was also an enthusiastic curler, lawn bowler and bridge player. She was an expert in needle work. She leaves behind scores of friends and relatives of all generations, She was an affectionate friend to Michael's partner Karen Levine, to their son Gabriel and to Adam Zimmerman, Barbara's husband of five years. She was delighted when Daniel's partner, Lauren Cook, entered her life. She loved to travel and made friends wherever she went. Throughout a long and crowded life, she was a force. And will be missed. The family thanks the staff of Christie Gardens and the compassionate doctors and nurses of the cardiac critical care units of Toronto Western and Toronto General Hospitals. The family will receive friends at the HUMPHREY FUNERAL HOME - A.W. MILES CHAPEL, 1403 Bayview Avenue (south of Davisville Avenue) from 4.00 to 8.00 p.m. on Wednesday January 20. Funeral service will take place at YORKMINSTER PARK BAPTIST CHURCH, 1585 Yonge Street, Toronto, on Thursday, January 21, at 11.00 a.m., followed by refreshments in the church hall. Private family interment at Pine Hills Cemetery. Condolences and memories may be forwarded through www.humphreymiles.com. Please note the change in visitation times.