It is with overwhelming grief and heartfelt sadness that we announce the sudden and shocking passing of Marie (Marica) Blai on Sunday, January 6th, 2019, in her 68th year. Marie was the beloved daughter of Milka Blai (deceased) and Franjo Blai (deceased). She was born in Paukovec, Croatia in 1950, and remained tied to her Croatian culture and heritage, while whole-heartedly embracing her new home and Canadian traditions from 1967 onward.
She was a faithful Catholic attending regularly at St. Eugene De Mazenod Church Parish in Brampton, and the Croatian Queen of Peace Parish in Norval.
She was a very generous and compassionate person, and life long supporter of dozens of charities. She had a great passion for learning, giving and teaching her whole life through.
Marie was a retired French and Spanish teacher of the Peel Public School Board for over 30 years, and worked at Orangeville District Public School, and Rick Hansen Public School in Mississauga over the course of her long career. She was the Treasurer for the Retired Teachers of Peel for many years, and up until her passing.
Marie is perhaps best described as a beautifully unique Renaissance woman. She was a graduate and former Alumnist of the University of Toronto, and a Professor of 7 languages. This academic background aided in her life-long zeal for adventure and life loving passion for world travel and exploration which she pursued through her life with fervor and exuberance. Marie was a patron and lover of music, arts and culture. She was very athletic, and had a particular passion for hiking. She was active in all sports imaginable throughout her lifetime to include skiing, tennis, swimming, golfing, cycling, and even zip-lining. She had a great love of nature and wildlife. Marie was an active and passionate steward of the earth, an environmental activist and ambassador for environmental protection, belonging and an active member of the Sierra Club up to her death.
Kuma Marija (Marie, Marica) will be dearly missed and leaves behind her dearest family, Kumovi, and best friends of over 50 years Tomo Janceti and Katica Janceti (m. Mateši) who will miss her forever. Marie is a beloved Auntie/Kuma, and will be dearly and forever missed by her Confirmandi daughter Barbara S. A. Janceti-Jeleanin (husband Tomislav P. Jeleanin, son Neven R. Jeleanin & daughter Vesna E. Jeleanin), Kathy J. Janceti-Scetto (husband Ben Scetto, and son Mateo T. C. Scetto), Tomo P. Janceti (wife Xiomara Janceti (m. Romero)).
Marie also leaves behind family relatives of the Zagorje region of Croatia including: Josip Lisicak (paternal uncle), eljka Buni (cousin), Štefica Vipel (maternal cousin)and Micika Kelebum (maternal cousin) who be touched with great loss in her passing.
The Janceti, Jeleanin and Scetto families would like to take this opportunity to express our heartfelt appreciation to ALL Marie's many dearest friends, former colleagues, organizational friends and colleagues, and kind neighbours community friends, and all those who touched her life here and abroad throughout her earthly journey, for their condolences and their enduring friendship with Marie.
Our families would also like to thank the staff at Brampton Civic hospital for their care and compassion (in particular, Nurses Harjot, Karen, Jackie, Harbinder and doctors Mistri and Powell who attended and cared for Marie along with family, until her final passing).
Marie's legacy of selfless giving and kindness will continue beyond her earthly existence in her greatest gesture of kindness through the Trillium "Gift of Life" donation she has made, and the countless charities she has bequeathed her worldly goods to benefit after her passing.
Our shared faith delivers us solace in this most difficult time knowing with certainty that Kuma Marie is in heaven with her dear mother Milka, looking down on the beautiful legacy of love, kindness, friendship and family she and her mother together delivered to those left behind. As we grieve her loss, we by the grace of God, retain hope and faith in everlasting life after death and can celebrate the memory of the blessing of having known Marie and having been a part of the beautiful life she lived, and continues to live in spirit, as she takes her place in heaven.
Funerary arrangements have been made at the Meadowvale Cemetary
7732 Mavis Rd, Brampton, ON L6Y 5M1
Family and friends are warmly welcomed to attend the Visitation for our dearly departed Marie, on
January 14th (4:00-8:00 p.m.)
and
January 15th from 10:00-11:00 a.m.
The Funeral Services will begin at 11:00 a.m on January 15th, and will be followed by 'karmine' reception at 1:00 p.m.
Through this page, I hope to raise funds for the Canadian Cancer Society whose mission is the eradication of cancer and the enhancement of the quality of life of people living with cancer. I embrace this mission and hope you do to. With continued support for the Society, fewer people in the future will have to lose their loved ones before their time.
Every donation to your page brings us one step closer to preventing cancer, detecting it earlier, improving treatments and helping Canadians live longer, healthier lives.
Together, we can change cancer forever.
All funds donated through this page will support the work of the Canadian Cancer Society. The Society makes more impact, against more cancers, in more communities, than any other cancer charity in Canada.
Please make a generous gift today.
