Laura Mei Silvius

She was born in Changzhou, Jiangsu province in China and came into our lives when she was 7 months old. She lived all her life thereafter in Montréal. Her extended family was always a source of joy and love to her. She will be sorely missed by her aunts and uncles Alexa and Ian, Barbara and Ronnie, Ellen and Wesley, Leslie and Jamie, Susan, and Vilija and Neil, by her cousins Alby (Colin), Brigitta, Connor, David, Heather (Justin), Jenn, Kate, Kelly, Kristy (Ryan), Megan (J. C.), Robert and Sarah, and by her great aunt Grace and great uncle Kenji.

Laura was also very fortunate to have two other unofficial but important 'families' when she was growing up. The first comprised her unofficial 'cousins' Jay, Anaïs and Lia, who made the journey from China to Canada together with her, their younger sisters Lian and Alissa and their parents Ann and Grant, Michelle and Mario, and Lydia and Peter. The second was a group of unofficial 'grandparents' from Knox Crescent and Kensington (now Kensington) Presbyterian Church, who took Laura into their hearts from the day they first met her and whom Laura saw every Sunday thereafter for many years.

Laura received her elementary and secondary education at The Study in Montréal, where she was proud of being “a lifer” (completing grades K-11) there, and she maintained some of her friendships from those days into her adult life. She pursued her post-secondary education first at Dawson College and then at Concordia University in Montréal, where she obtained a B.A. in Sociology.

Laura loved coastlines, walking barefoot on beaches (Monterey and Lake Tahoe were particular favorites), sunsets, her beloved cats Fred and Fan-Fan, visits with family to Disneyland, and shopping for clothes and items for her apartment. She adored her cousins' children Parker, Bradley and Rylee as well as Quinn, the son of her good friend Lyla. She was a passionate advocate for mental health and for the empowerment of young women.

From childhood Laura was "a presence," as a family member once described her - she had a vibrant, energetic and forthright personality. She could be kind and very funny, she loved her cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents (including her 'unofficial' ones), and she brought great joy and meaning to the lives of her parents Carol and John. We will all deeply miss Laura, and her memory will live in our hearts always.

We will honor and celebrate Laura’s life in a service at 11 AM on Friday, August 23, 2024, at Collins Clarke MacGillivray White, 5610 rue Sherbrooke O., Montréal, Quebec H4A 1W5. For those unable to attend in person, the service will be livestreamed https://funeraweb.tv/en/diffusions/96819 . A time to express condolences to the family will precede the service from 10-11 AM, and a reception will follow the service.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Friends for Mental Health/Amis de la Santé Mentale (https://asmfmh.org/services).