Obituary of Suzanne Aileen Stohn
STOHN, Suzanne Aileen (née Haas)
(“Suzie”)
Died peacefully, with family around, at Sunnybrook Veterans Centre on Tuesday, February 28th, 2023, the day after her 99th birthday. Widow of the late John Stohn. Daughter of the late Max and Marian Haas. Sister of the late Babs Morrice, Kate Stone, Diana Ritchie and Stephanie Boswell. She is survived by her son Stephen (and Linda Schuyler), daughter Dale (and Bob Shaw), grandson Max, granddaughter Jalyn (and Daniel Sorg), and great-grandchildren Jacob, Oliver, Thomas, and Bianca Sorg.
Born in Montreal in 1924, Suzie grew up in Toronto where she and her sisters all attended The Bishop Strachan School. She then attended King’s Hall Compton in Quebec, followed by a year at McGill University (where she met John) until she joined the WRCNS (the Wrens), serving as a coder in St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, and later in Prince Rupert B.C.
Following the war, she and John were married in October of 1946, and lived briefly in Shreveport, Louisiana, then Denver, Colorado (where Stephen was born) before they moved permanently to Toronto in 1949. Dale was born a year later.
Suzie became very active in the community, and served on the board or executive of many organizations over the years, including as Chair of the Board of Hillcrest Hospital; President of Oriole Road Nursery School, The Toronto Hunt, The Toronto Ladies Club, The Current Events Club of Toronto, and The Volunteer Committee of the Art Gallery of Ontario; Provisional Chair of The Junior League of Toronto; and National Director of Canadian Federation of Friends of Museums. She served on the executive of the Wren Association of Toronto (she loved to march!) and was the first Volunteer Coordinator of the Ontario Crippled Children’s Centre (now known as Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital). She later described her work with those organizations, saying, “I did little things, and kept things going.”
Her early fond memories include being the “Little Chief of the Chickasaw” at the age of eight at Camp Tanamakoon, where she famously memorized a beautiful speech but, when the appointed hour came, forgot every word!
She and John always treasured the many summers they spent at Pointe-au-Baril, and her ashes will be mixed with John’s and scattered at Pointe-au-Baril, in Georgian Bay, in view of the Bay’s tall pines, the beautiful rocks, and glorious sunsets and sunrises.
Special Thanks to Drs. Selby and Hung and all the team at Sunnybrook Veterans Centre who cared for her so devotedly in her final years.
© 2022 Humphrey Funeral Home A.W. Miles – Newbigging Chapel Limited. All Rights Reserved.
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