Emilie Speed

Passed away peacefully at home on December 16th 2015. Predeceased in 2008 by her loving husband Fred. Adored by her five daughters Anne, Jane, Ruth, Claire and Carol, a cherished “Nena” to Leila, Aisha, Anissa, Katie, Sarah, Christian and Olivia. Great grandmother to Taavi and Aya. Born in Prague in 1926 to Eugen and Helen Zucker, Emilie escaped Nazi-invaded Czechoslovakia in 1939 aboard a Czech Kindertransport train to England. In 1944 she reunited with her mother in Mexico. A graduate of Chicago’s Rosary College in 1951, Emilie went on to work for the Kansas City Sun Herald and then as assistant to Eileen Egan at the Catholic Relief Services in New York. In 1954 she joined her mother and brother Ernest in Toronto. A short time later, Emilie met Fred, a recent immigrant from England. They married in 1956. Emilie was gifted in many ways but particularly in writing, languages, and counseling. She worked for the CAS in Toronto and, while raising 5 girls and battling cancer, earned her MSW from U of T in 1971. She then worked as a Social Worker for Dellcrest Children’s Centre. Many benefitted from her wise counsel and support. Volunteer activities focused on social justice issues including refugees. The family is deeply grateful to Emilie’s team of caregivers. Visitation will be held on Sunday, December 20th from 6-9 p.m. at the R.S. Kane Funeral Home, 6150 Yonge Street (at Goulding, south of Steeles). Funeral Mass will be held on Tuesday, December 22th at 4:30 p.m. at St. Gabriel’s Passionist Parish, 670 Sheppard Avenue East, Toronto. Memorial donations may be made to the Humanitarian Coalition - Syrian Refugee Crisis.