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January 19, 1932 – April 29, 2025.
With profound sadness, we share that Jean Mary Sinclair (nee Burgess) passed away peacefully on April 29, 2025, at the age of 93, in Toronto. She was predeceased by her parents, Charles and Jean Burgess; sister Ellen Garski; and beloved daughter, Patricia Goodfellow (Doug). Jean Mary will be deeply missed by her devoted husband of 66 years, John; and sister, Barbara Thuringer (Harold). She was a loving mother of John (Vanessa), Anne Marie, Michael, Peter (Ailsa) and Rosemary (Todd). She was a very special and loved Nana to 15 grandchildren: Thomas, William, Andrew, Sarah, Grace, Theresa, Katie, Christopher, Emily, Elena, Julia, Alexander, Indy, Paige and Matthew; and a wonderful aunt to many nieces and nephews. Our large and beautiful family was everything to Nana, and we feel very fortunate to have so many cherished memories of her hosting family gatherings of 25+ people, serving delicious home-cooked dishes, and celebrating birthdays and holidays together (often with Nana’s famous ice cream cake!).
A proud graduate of St. Michael’s Hospital School of Nursing in 1953, Jean worked as a flight attendant until she was married in 1959. After raising six children, she returned to nursing with St. Elizabeth Visiting Nurses. Jean was dedicated in service to others throughout her life, including working with a crisis hotline, Bloorview Children’s Hospital and was a 10-year, volunteer at Centennial Infant and Child Centre. In her 80s, Jean was honoured to be one of the first volunteer cuddlers to work for the St. Mike’s NICU infant cuddling program. As a Mom of 6 and a Nana of 15, she was well equipped for the role of cuddling babies in rocking chairs. Service to others also included sponsoring and welcoming refugees to Canada from around the world, including Vietnam, Cambodia, Bosnia, Congo and Syria. Jean loved travelling, cooking and baking, knitting, playing bridge, golfing, reading, engaging in daily meditation, and doing Jane Fonda’s exercise video!
Jean’s happy place was the cottage on Lake Muskoka. Not only is this where she met her husband, John, in 1958, it was where she was surrounded by what she loved most – family and the beautiful lake. Family gatherings at the cottage were monumental – always full of love and laughter, long chats on the porch at cocktail hour, games after dinner, boat rides to see the sunset, and smores around the campfire. While the cottage will never be the same without her, her deep love for being in Muskoka will carry on through her family for generations.
We wish to thank the doctors, nurses and staff at Sunnybrook Hospital for their wonderful care of Jean since her admittance on April 24, after a fall, resulting in a broken hip. We also would like to thank Jean’s exceptional caregivers, Alexandra, Jenalyn and Ilda, for their kind and compassionate home care.
A funeral mass in Jean’s memory will be held at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 2982 Yonge St., Toronto, on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at 10:30am, followed by a reception in the church hall. Visitation will be held at Morley Bedford Funeral Home, 159 Eglinton Ave. W., Toronto on Wednesday, May 7, 2-4pm and 6-8pm. Interment at Mount Hope Cemetery for family will follow at a later date.
Jean’s only desired legacy was to be remembered as always having an open, welcome door to everyone, regardless of their situation in life or where they might live across the globe. In lieu of flowers, we invite you to carry on her compassionate spirit by extending a hand or heart to someone in need.
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2025
Morley Bedford Funeral Services Ltd
Death notice for the town of: Toronto, Province: Ontario
death notice Jean Mary Burgess Sinclair
obituaries notice Jean Mary Burgess Sinclair
We offer our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Jean Mary Burgess Sinclair and hope that their memory may be a source of comfort during this difficult time. Your thoughts and kind words are greatly appreciated.
