Aino Irene Laitinen

Aino was born on February 21, 1941 in Kuopio, Finland on a strawberry farm with a beautiful lake behind the family house. She immigrated to Toronto in 1960. She worked for the Japanese embassy, as a nanny in Forest Hill and had a home daycare in her home in the St. Clair and Oakwood area when her daughter was young. She bought her current home in 1980 and enjoyed living there ever since.

Aino passed away suddenly with her daughter Nina by her side, after a short illness with pneumonia on October 30, 2025 at her home. She is survived by her daughter Nina and her life partner, Luis and her granddaughter Maya. She is also survived by her sisters Seija, Rita, Aira and her brother Vilho. Aino has gone to rest with her parents Aili and Matti Antero, her sisters Anja, Salme and Arja and her niece’s husband Pasi.

Aino will be remembered as an animal lover who cared deeply for her cats and loved to feed the birds and squirrels around her home. She was proud of her role as mother and grandmother and was a generous soul. Aino was a strong, independent woman and an inspiration to her daughter and granddaughter. Irene lived her life how she wanted and did not follow trends or fall for societal pressures. She was not materialistic. She lived humbly and was very happy with simple pleasures such as drinking her morning coffee, reading the newspaper and having a beer or two in the evenings while watching the news. She will also be remembered for her love of the environment and making everyone feel welcome.

A memorial visitation will be held on November 8, 2025 at 2pm by invitation at Jerrett Funeral Home, St. Clair Chapel. A celebration of life will be held on November 15, 2025 at 3pm at her daughter’s home.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks you to consider a donation in Aino’s memory to the Toronto Humane Society. Condolences can be left at the Jerrett St. Clair Funeral Home Website.