Nancy T Ocampo

Born in Pasuquin, Philippines, Nancy lived through the Japanese occupation in WWII and was the jewel of her town, where she was commissioned to sing for mayors, captains, and generals. She started teaching at 18 and thereafter traveled and taught all over the country. In the early 1970s, she immigrated to Sudbury, ON, and worked at Canadian Tire for $1.50/hour. There, she argued with the manager over customer service practices. Impressed with her Filipino-accented chutzpah, the manager recommended her for a teaching position after learning she was a teacher. Nancy taught for several years at a First Nations reservation on Manitoulin Island. She then moved to Toronto, traveling to Niagara University by train and bus—all after a full day of teaching in the city—to earn her Master’s in Education at the age of 50.

Nancy became a mother when she adopted four of her sister Norma’s six children in the 1980s. Her offer to become a parent to adolescent kids is a testament to her kindness and generosity. She expressed great pride in her motherhood, especially during her golden years. Her legacy continues today through her grandchildren, whom she showered with much affection and who brought her great joy.

Nancy’s passions in life were singing, traveling, and her unshakeable faith. She traveled the globe, exploring the great cathedrals and other wonders of the world. For decades, Nancy was a stronghold in the Catholic community, singing and reading at masses from one end of the city to the other, all in one day, and commuting mainly by TTC. Rain or shine or pandemic, this was her daily devotion until the last weeks of her life. Her tenacity and fierce independence were legendary.

Mother, grandmother, aunt, sister, friend, teacher… Nancy was all these and more. She lifted hearts, consoled those who were feeling low, inspired the young and old, and united people. She was warm, kind, and generous, but she was no delicate flower. She spoke her mind and stood her ground. She was an indomitable force who commanded respect and admiration. She was the family matriarch, and her passing leaves a profound void.

Nancy’s spirit will be cherished and remembered by her many friends and family and all those whose lives she touched. She leaves behind her children, Nathalie Ocampo, Bryant Ocampo, Michelle Ocampo McIvor, and Rena Ocampo Cunningham; her grandchildren, Riley, Lucas, Parker, and Axl; her surviving siblings, Letty Toomey, Norma Arrojado, and Serafin Ocampo, Jr.; and her many nieces and nephews and their children. Special thanks and acknowledgement to her oldest niece, Blanca Bugler, and her daughter, Genevieve, as well as her youngest niece, Leah Ocampo, who spent much time with her in her last few years of life and brought a renewed vitality into her world, and of whom she was very appreciative.

Nancy passed away peacefully on February 12, 2025. She was 90 years old. May she sing and dance with joy as she reunites with all her dearly beloved ones who have been waiting for her in Heaven.

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A visitation for Nancy will be held Friday, February 21, 2025 from 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Rosar-Morrison Funeral Home & Chapel, 467 Sherbourne Street, Toronto, ON M4X1K5. A Mass of the Resurrection will take place at 10:30 AM at St. Peter's Catholic Church, 840 Bathurst Street, Toronto, Ontario M5R 3G3. An interment will occur at 1:00 PM at Highland Memory Gardens, 33 memory Gardens Lane, North York, Ontario. (Funerary coach to lead procession to grave site. To ensure order and prevent chaotic parking, please DO NOT come before or ahead funerary coach).