Mrs. Gloria Leon Baylis

Gloria was born June 29, 1929 in Bridgetown Barbados to the late Reynold Livingstone Leon Clarke and Antoinette Margaret Miller. She moved to England after WWII where she trained in nursing and midwifery. She worked as an R.N. at the Kingston General Hospital from 1948 to 1951, and from 1951 to 1952 she worked at the Chiswick Maternity Hospital and the Middleton Square Nursing Association. She moved to Canada in 1952 where she met and married Richard Headley Baylis. Together they had five children.

Gloria is remembered for her indomitable and fun-loving spirit, her boundless energy for work and play, her drive and determination to succeed and to have her children succeed, her pride and joy in family, and her unfailing kindness to others. She was a strong, independent woman who loved to laugh. She was loyal, outgoing, willing to help any and all.

In 1964, Gloria applied for a nursing position at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montréal (then operated by the Hilton chain). She was informed, contrary to fact, that all of the nursing positions were filled. Despite her undeniable qualifications, she was refused employment because she was Black. Assisted by the Negro Citizenship Association, the case was prosecuted by the Québec government. In October 1965, in the first case of its kind, Hilton of Canada was convicted of “illegally and knowingly refusing employment to Mrs. Gloria Clarke Baylis, committing thereby an offense provided by the Discrimination Act of 1964” and fined $25.00. After a lengthy court battle, which reached the Québec Superior Court, the hotel was found guilty of employment discrimination on the basis of race.

Gloria went on to have a remarkably successful and varied career in nursing, culminating in the creation of Baylis Medical Company. From 1983 to 1984 she was Vice-President of the Board of Directors of the Central Registry of Graduate Nurses. In 1984, she was the nurse on set for the movies "Mrs. Soffel" and "Young Blood".

In 1999, Gloria was awarded the Jackie Robinson Business Person of the Year award: “Mrs. Gloria Baylis is one of twelve children. She left the island of Barbados as an adventurous young girl eager to study nursing in England. She became a registered nurse in 1951 with further specialization in other areas of nursing. Mrs. Baylis came to Canada in 1953 [sic., 1952] and started working in Montréal. Her experience as a nurse helped to lay the groundwork for her future career as a successful businesswoman in the field of medical equipment supplies… Mrs. Baylis’ start as a successful entrepreneur dates back to 1982. While living in Toronto, the opportunity arose to represent a Paris-based manufacturer of specialized catheters for neurosurgery and [in 1983] the Baylis Medical Company (BMC) was formed. Initially the company was home-based, but after returning to Montréal, BMC became incorporated in 1986. The company has continued to grow and now has offices in Montréal and Toronto with annual sales of two million dollars.” Since this award was given in 1999, the company has grown in size and stature. Baylis Medical products are now sold around the world and the company employs more than 300 people.

Gloria retired from Baylis Medical Company in 2004. She remained active in her community taking part in the de-merger of the City of Westmount from the city of Montréal. She enjoyed vacations and over the years she traveled to England, Ireland, France, Spain, Mexico, United States, New Zealand, Australia, Hawaii, Austria, and her native Barbados.

For years, Gloria was a player and coach with the 'Cosmos' recreational netball club in Scarborough, Ontario. In 1980-81, she was named Most Valuable Player by the Women's Netball Association. Then, in 1985, she received the Special Achievement Award for Distinguished Contributions to the field of Fitness and Amateur Sport from the government of Ontario in recognition of her work developing the recreational and competitive aspects of netball at both the provincial and national level. Gloria was one of the founders of the Ontario Amateur Netball Association (now Netball Ontario) and a one-time Manager of the provincial under 21 squad.

In 2002, Gloria's biography was included in the inaugural edition of Who's Who in Black Canada. This print edition has since been replaced with an online website Black in Canada. In 2004, her biography was included in Who's Who in Canada.

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Gloria Leon Baylis (née Clarke), 87, of Westmount QC, passed away Wednesday, April 12, 2017 at Chateau Westmount.

Funeral service will be at 11:00am Wednesday April 19 at the Ascension of Our Lord Parish with Father MacEachen officiating. Interment will be in Mount Royal cemetery.

The family will receive friends 3:00-5:00pm and 6:00-9:00pm Tuesday April 18 at Centre funéraire Côte-des-Neiges.

Gloria was born June 29, 1929 in Barbados to the late Reynold Livingstone Leon Clarke and Antoinette Margaret Miller. She trained in nursing in England and worked there as an R.N. and a midwife. She moved to Canada in 1952 where she met and married Richard Headley Baylis. She had a remarkably successful and varied career in nursing, culminating in the creation of Baylis Medical Company.

Gloria is remembered for her indomitable and fun-loving spirit, her boundless energy for work and play, her drive and determination to succeed and to have her children succeed, her pride and joy in family, and her unfailing kindness to others. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, and sister.

She was dearly loved by her family including her husband Richard Headley Baylis; children Françoise Elvina Baylis, PhD (Michael) of Halifax, NS; Frank Headley Baylis, MP (Valerie) of Beaconsfield, QC, Peter John Baylis, PhD (Adrienne) of Canmore, AB; and Penny Jane Baylis, MD of N.D.G., QC.; sisters Marie Antoinette Emtage, Elaine Griffith, June Clarke, Winnifred Halifax, Greer Chugh; brothers, Eric Clarke, Robert Clarke, Reynold Clarke, and John Clarke; and seven grandchildren: Kaila Alexandra, Jacob Alexander, Peter Edward, Victoria Grace, Julia Marie, Maya Gabrielle, and Liam Richard.

Gloria was predeceased by her daughter Pia Maria and her brothers Reginald Clarke and Anthony Clarke.