Gunild Spiess

Gunild Spiess was a bold personality, the matriarch of a large loving family, an intrepid community organizer and an inspiration to countless people in her life. To experience her vibrant charisma please check out the Vimeo: “Many Faces of Gunild.” (https://vimeo.com/164792151)

Born Gunild Dörr on April 21st 1926 in Munich Germany, she passed away peacefully surrounded by family and friends on January 25th 2026 in Toronto. Gunild was married to Fritz Spiess (predeceased 1998) for almost 50 years. She is survived by her three children Lorraine Spiess, Veronica Zufelt and Carl Spiess (Jennifer), her beloved grandchildren Jonathan Zufelt, Vanessa Zufelt (Len Vonk), Christopher Carl Zufelt (d. 1990), Phillip Spiess, Geoffrey Spiess (Michelle) and Katherine Spiess, her chosen grandchildren Sebastian Spoerel, Adrianna Spoerel and Jessie Burris, and two great-grandsons Timo and Ollie Vonk.

In 1951 Gunild and Fritz emigrated to Canada at Pier 21 (https://5104.sydneyplus.com/final/portal.aspx?lang=en-US). Two years later they explored the Key River on a camping trip to Georgian Bay. The discovery of that quintessential Canadian landscape sealed their decision to spend the rest of their lives in their adopted country.

Gradually Fritz established his career as a pioneering cinematographer and after his death Gunild spent years organizing his film archive (http://www.fritzspiessarchive.com/home.htm) to donate to the Media Commons at the Robarts Library (https://discoverarchives.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/fritz-spiess).

Meanwhile Gunild focused on raising their children and the countless community projects to which she dedicated her time and energy. Her friends joked that Gunild was “Miss Willowdale” and remember her as an incredible dynamo providing inspirational and strategic leadership for a wide spectrum of initiatives: installing flower boxes along Yonge Street when it turned 200, working to save the old city hall and a historic pioneer cemetery, advocating to start French classes in Grade 1, helping save STEM, athletics and the arts from education budget cuts, and in the early 1960’s going door-to-door to collect signatures and funding to build a hospital for the burgeoning northern suburbs, thereby helping create North York General where she received wonderful care the last two weeks of her remarkable life.

Gunild was an avid supporter of the arts, and every Wednesday for over four decades she played second violin with the same string quartet at her home. She loved giving parties, cooking elaborate feasts and sending bouquets from her perennial gardens to friends. With her vivaciousness and incredible memory, she touched people from all walks of life with her interest in their unique life paths.

The family would like to thank the many loving caregivers who made it possible for Gunild to stay in her home of seven decades until her final weeks. Too many to list them all, they adored coming to visit grandmother “Oma.” Special thanks to Joyce, Susana, Merla, Jeanette and her long-term live-in companion Novelyn Augustin.

Following a private ceremony we encourage friends to visit this website to share their memories of Gunild and receive updates of possible future memorial plans. In lieu of flowers please consider a memoriam gift to Gunild’s favourite charity The Georgian Bay Land Trust. You may also donate to North York General Hospital, Toronto Sick Kids, The National Ballet of Canada, The McMichael Gallery or any charity of your choice. Please see the links below to make donations through the charities' webpages.