Ivana,

I am thankful for our long cottage walks and pedalboat rides that would last until our arms hurt from steering.

I am thankful for that first time you straightened my hair, and for teaching me to do it myself.

I am thankful for the hours you spent running around dress hunting with me when I was a newly engaged adult, helping me with my French homework as a teenager, listening to me and guiding me from puberty through motherhood.

I am thankful for your specially curated brand of behind the scenes magic; you were the queen of that.

I am thankful for the way you welcomed my friends into the fold, whether it was for Christmas Eve, my bridal shower, or just because.

I am thankful for my custom Little Mermaid cake and all of the years of delicious homemade birthday cakes.

I am thankful for Italian night, Christmas morning cinnamon buns, our annual 1000-piece puzzle and all of the other traditions you lovingly created for our family.

Most of all,

I am thankful that you lent my father the sports section of that newspaper and then gave him over 25 years of love and laughter. 

I am thankful for the gift you gave me in Sofia.
 
I am thankful my daughter had the chance to meet and love her Nonna. I will make sure she knows you. 

I am thankful to love and have been loved by you.

You and your family are in my thoughts as you grieve.  All my love and sympathy.

The first conversation with Ivana that I remember happened soon after she arrived in our office. She was selling a polar bear rug—probably acquired during her days as a translator up north—and I naïvely inquired about buying it. She suggested, with discreet tact, that the price might be beyond my means. She was, of course, right. 

I did not know Ivana well, although she was a colleague I respected and always worked with easily. But I was aware that she had a rich personal background of Montreal-Italian heritage and once in a while she would a give us a glimpse into that world. 

It could be in her stories of buying huge chunks of parmigiano cheese at Costco. Or in her explanation to me of the curious expression mangia-cake. If anyone had ever called me that, I wouldn’t even have known I was being mocked—if not for Ivana’s detailed elucidation of the term. 

While we were more friendly acquaintances than close friends, I still feel a regretful loss at her passing. For those who really knew her, I can only imagine the depth of your own sorrow. 

Please accept my sincere condolences.

My deepest sympathy to everyone who had the pleasure of knowing Ivana. 

I was lucky enough to call her my Aunt and I will forever have her smile engrained in my memory. When we were kids my Uncle Kev and Aunt Ivana would go on evening walks at the cottage in which the kids would always tag along. There was this small cottage off in the woods, up on the hill. My aunt use to always joke with us that it was the witch house and she would do the most impeccable witch cackle. I can remember lighting up and laughing every time. As the typical kid I would ask her to repeat it over and over and over again. Ivana never refused and always smiled and played along with us. I will never forget that.   

As I got older I knew Ivana to be a wonderful support to everyone who needed her, a phenomenal chef, and an out of this world mom and woman. She will be missed dearly. 

We all love you Aunt Ivana, you will be missed.

PART TWO

The role I’ll cherish the most is your role as Nonna. Despite a pandemic & illness & restrictions, you didn’t let that stop you from having a special relationship with each of your grandkids. You could tell by the way their eyes lit up when saying Nonna and asking  about you. You loved them with so much love. 

You were there for me during my struggles, no matter what you were going through. You cared like that. You just always thought of others. 

You were a master chef in the kitchen. Whether it be Canadian (😝), Italian, or honestly any dish you tackled. You fostered family traditions. From cookie decorating, Italian night, turkey dinner, thanksgiving, cottage days, homemade cakes for every birthday (knowing I’m not a chocolate/vanilla cake fan you went out of your way making maple pecan apple dishes for me), celebrating everyone’s birthday… you brought us together. 

It’s hard to find the words to express just how special you are. These don’t seem like enough. I just want you and the world to know just how special you are.  You were taken from us way too soon. Your memories will live on in all of our hearts because you touched so many of them.

PART ONE

No matter how hard I try, I can’t shorten this more to fit the word space, so I’m posting this in 2 sections. 

Ivana, you were someone who listened to truly listen. In a world where too many people listen to respond, or listen to hear - you listened and took in everything the person was saying, and you’d do that to help the person & be there for them. 
You were always there to give advice or to listen to someone vent.

You were always there for others & thinking what others might need. From always having a safety pin on hand to fix any wardrobe mishaps (and wedding dresses), to bringing over a fidget ring for your granddaughter when she was having a challenging time to help her. You were a problem solver. 

You played the role of seamstress & hairdresser when we needed - from when I wanted to be Emma from the Spice Girls, Sofia’s Halloween costumes, or me and your grandkids hair cuts! You were a master braider as well. 

You had a sense of humour that was unmatched. I think your fearless-ness contributed to it; you knew how to make everyone laugh.  

We sure butted heads during my teen years, but you weren’t someone to let that stop you from building a close relationship when the time was right. You would have the hard talks, you didn’t hide things under the rug, so friendships and relationships were 100% pure and real. You played so many roles in my life - from stepmother, Nonna, confidante, friend, therapist, problem solver. And you played those roles with so much grace, humor and thought.

Je sais que tu ne pourras pas lire ce message mais je me souviendrai toujours de toi souriante avec ces yeux brillants lorsque tu travaillais avec nous au 11e étage.

Ta photo reflète ce que je me souviens de toi.

Maintenant, tu ne souffres plus. Je suis certaine que ta famille pourra prendre soin de Sofia et toi, tu resteras toujours dans nos pensées. Tu garderas toujours un oeil sur ta famille.

À toute la famille, mes sincères condoléances.

Juliette, ancienne collègue de travail à l'Éducation

Ivana had a smile that lit up the room and an infectious laugh. Her sense of humour kept her colleagues in stitches! Her  warmth and kindness made the world a better place. What a joy and an honour to have known her.

I feel very fortunate to have grown up with Aunt Ivana. I have a lot of family memories of her. As a child, I can remember her sitting around the kitchen table with us at the cottage playing cards and games. I remember going on after-dinner walks past the “witch house” and listening to her cackle to make us all laugh. I remember her delicious home made meals, and her annual Christmas cookies, which were equally tasty and beautiful. 

As I got older, visits with Aunt Ivana included great conversation and catching up. She was always genuinely interested in hearing about what is going on in your life. I remember how much she loved and adored her family. 

Ivana fought courageously and was taken from us far too soon. She will be loved and missed by all who knew her. 

Sending big hugs, and lots of love to Uncle Kev, Sofia, Kirstie, Chelsea, and their families. 🤍

Ivana was the best mentor I could have hoped for when I started as a freelance translator at the Ministry in 2000. Thanks to her expertise, encouragement and availability, I eased quickly into the job and appreciated every occasion I was paired with her for translation or revision. Her warmth, sense of humour and thoughtfulness were exceptional. 

I can still remember the joy with which she told me about the birth of Sofia, and then later, with great pride about Sofia's beginnings in elementary and secondary schools. I’m so sad to learn that what I believed to be early retirement was probably the beginning of a disease which took her away too early from all those with whom she still had so much love to share.

My sincere condolences to all of Ivana’s family.

We have so many great memories at the lake🥰💕

Ivana was always welcoming with her open arms and her  fresh baked goods that were usually timed and warm when we were there for a visit.  Ivana was a wonderful cook that made every gormet meal look so easy, especially her pasta dishes!  
Will miss her beautiful smile, her warm heart and the witches cackle she would do for the kids when they were younger. 
Rest in peace Ivana, we will cherish our wonderful memories 🥰♥️

Ivana truly made me feel welcomed as a part of her family. I will forever be grateful to feel like a part of such a wonderful family and Im honoured to have met Ivana. 
One memory of Ivana that I will never forget was when I visited unexpectedly when I was going through a hard time. I felt bad for being a burden but when I saw ivana she told me she was proud of me for recognizing that I needed help from my friend. I will never forget the way she made me feel that day. She saw the best in people around her and was filled with incredible strength that she was kind enough to lend me when I truly needed it. 
She was taken from us too soon and I am so proud of her, I feel lucky to have been able to be a part of her life. 
My deepest condolences to the family, I’m keeping you all in my thoughts during this time. 
I will miss you ivana, thank you for everything you’ve done for me and for being such an amazing mother and such a wonderful, funny, strong person.

It is incredibly sad to see someone go far too soon, someone with such vibrancy, someone whose steps on this earth took her from the vicinity of the Ambassador Bridge to the Far North and Southeast Asia, someone who nurtured a daughter who, by all accounts, has the potential to nail every scientific Nobel there is and then some.

And then there’s Ivana, the competent and helpful coworker who could always inject a bit of mirth into the workday, whether acting as a lunchtime wardrobe consultant or a sea lion imitator par excellence. These last two items are admittedly memories of a more personal nature, but among the ones that I will remember her by and that I will sorely miss.

In closing, I’d like to pay tribute to Ivana’s husband Kevin and her daughter Sofia. Life always brings up questions that call for an answer. One question can be posed as follows: I’ll wait for you, and should I fall behind, will you wait for me?

Both spouse and daughter answered a resounding YES!

My deepest sympathies to the entire family.

Ivana and I met 50 years ago, almost to the day, at the start of middle school.  Together we navigated adolescence, never going more than a few hours without checking in with each other to share school gossip, complain about parental misdeeds, and plot our futures.  

Graduating with the highest marks in our year, while completing 5 years in 4, Ivana left our home town of Windsor for the University of Ottawa.  Within five years, she had competed two degrees, developed a proficiency in four languages, and qualified as a professional translator. In the years to follow, she travelled south, to Europe, and lived in the far north, inspired by a sense of adventure and an intellectual curiosity that knew no limits.  

After marrying Kevin, Ivana devoted herself to family, and it was clear from our conversations during our middle years that she approached the role of wife and mother with the thoughtfulness, generosity of spirit, insight and sense of humour that had always defined her.  

In the last few years, I have marveled at how even illness could not dampen Ivana’s compassion for those she loved.  Somehow she continued to radiate joy, and make the world an immeasurably better place, even as she quietly and courageously faced her own monumental challenges. 

We have not resided in the same city since we were 18, and yet I have never thought of us as living apart, as Ivana’s golden, heartfelt, warm-up-the-world laughter, was always a phone call away.  You filled us all up with that laugh of yours, my dear friend.  May the memory of it bring comfort now to all those who love you.

I feel so lucky to have known Ivana for over 20 years, ever since I met her stepdaughter, Chelsea. She was such a caring, strong, and funny woman. I adored visiting Chelsea because Kevin and Ivana always made me feel right at home, and I could genuinely feel the love in their house. Whether I was there for a high school sleepover, Chelsea’s wedding shower, a Christmas Eve turkey meal, or just dropping in unannounced during my West Island house-hunt, I was always greeted with a hug, hearty laughter, and delicious food. When I moved to Beaconsfield in 2019, Ivana and Sofia were my very first visitors, welcoming me to the neighborhood by bringing over some homemade brownies :). She shared her famous bread, turkey, and stuffing recipes with me, which I now make for my family. And when I’d get that annual Christmas Eve invitation, I would start brainstorming which dessert I’d bring to match her culinary excellence…and I’d pack some fun board games to play in hopes they’d make her laugh - usually at Kevin ;). Over the years I visited their cottage and got to witness Ivana relaxed by the fire, making yummy meals, swimming in the lake, and happily playing with her grandkids. During Covid, I stopped by to chat outside a few times and Ivana would always ask how I was doing before answering any questions about how she was, despite the fact that she was undergoing tough treatments. She was one of a kind and I will miss her so much. Sending all my love and hugs to you, Chelsea, Kevin, Sofia and Kirstie ❤️

Ivana was a warm, generous and  courageous woman who mentored me at work and set an example for which I will always be grateful. 

Hearing her laugh always cheered me up and made me see the funny side of a situation. I will always miss her 

My deepest condolences to all of Ivana's family

I worked alongside Ivana for many years and can attest that she was, in a word, unforgettable. Not only was she one of the smartest and funniest people I have ever met, she was also incredibly courageous and compassionate.  She always had the courage of her convictions and spoke her mind clearly and openly. And her professionalism throughout her career was exemplary.  In short, an absolutely fantastic person.

Ivana was smart, hardworking and a lot of fun, but she was also a caring, perceptive friend who always had time to listen and who invariably offered good advice. As a colleague, she was helpful and generous and wanted what was best for the group.  What a terrible loss this is.

My deepest sympathies to her family and all who loved her

Margret Martin

Ivana was a mentor, a teacher, a friend, an ally. She was so incredibly good, so incredibly talented, so incredibly smart. We joked about the joys of being married to Kevins and living in God's country, we did ministerial burpies, we translated some words, we ate garlic salads. We laughed, a lot. I don't remember what was said in this picture, but I can feel the energy, 15 years later. Don clearly said something witty; Ivana laughs one of her big laughs (a real one, bursting with pleasure) before ribbing right back, with that West Island edge and genuine affection.
She was a force of nature. She spoke of her family with so much pride and love. She taught me so much. She will be sorely missed.

AVIS DE DÉCÈS

Ivana Rosa Spagnoli

19 août 1962 – 29 août 2024

Résidences funéraires Collins Clarke MacGillivray White Funeral Homes

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