Obituary of Mrs. Yvonne Westlake
Yvonne Jennifer Westlake passed away peacefully on the morning of August 13th, 2024, in her 75th year. She was surrounded by family at Sunnybrook Hospital.
Yvonne is predeceased by her parents Frank and Gladys Hill as well as her brother Roger. Yvonne's family was incredibly important to her, and she is survived by her loving husband Roy, and their children Nicole and Alex (Diane).
Yvonne was born in Hampstead, England in 1949. The family moved to Staines, near Heathrow airport, which helped inspire her airline career. Yvonne and Roy met in 1968, they married in 1974 and lived in Leatherhead, a town just south of London. Yvonne and Roy made the leap across the pond to Canada in 1979. They settled in North York where they have lived for many happy decades. Yvonne and Roy grew an extended family of friends in Canada and around the world, while maintaining close ties to family in England and New Zealand.
Yvonne was a customer service manager at Heathrow airport for Lufthansa and she continued working for them in the rates and ticketing department in Canada. Yvonne gradually went part time to spend more time raising her children until she retired from Lufthansa. Her incredible energy and determined work ethic meant she couldn't stay out of the workplace for long, so she returned to work as a clerical administrator for the Toronto District School Board.
Yvonne and Roy enjoyed hosting many dinner parties at their home and cottage where her European hospitable nature and cooking skills were admired. Yvonne was a great conversationalist, and with vibrant energy she captured everyone’s attention with her stories. Yvonne's passion for gardening shone through every summer where her hard work bloomed, setting the stage for wonderful gatherings. Throughout her years Yvonne enjoyed traveling - from adventurous trips with Roy and friends to showing the world to her kids. Yvonne visited many countries on every continent and loved experiencing all the food and history along the way.
Thank you for the love and support from family and friends in this difficult time. An additional thank you to all the kind Sunnybrook staff who helped Yvonne and her family navigate a seven year journey with lymphoma. A private memorial for close friends and family will be taking place. In the coming months the family will host a celebration of life to honour Yvonne's memory. Donations to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) or Wellspring Cancer Support (Westkirk House)/Sunnybrook Hospital would be preferred in lieu of flowers.
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