Sue Martin

Sue Martin, of Toronto, Canada, passed away on 13th June 2025, at the age of 73, surrounded by her family. She had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer barely two months prior that robbed her of her ability to speak or write. Sue deteriorated rapidly and, while fully aware of all that was going on, was unable to articulate her thoughts. This was more distressing for her than the illness.

Born on a British Army Base in Germany, Virginia Sue Martin was raised in Wales and England. After refusing to return to boarding school in Somerset, she worked several jobs, including as a potter in Wales, selling frilly knickers to rich people in Harrods, and at ICI Fibres, where her father could keep an eye on her. The stepping stone to what would become her passionate career was obtaining her Certificate in Education from the Froebel Institute of Education in London (where she also studied ceramics - another lifelong love). Her first teaching job was at Cherry Hinton Hall in Cambridge, where she headed to be nearer Andrew, who was a law student at Trinity College. Following his graduation, they married in the Trinity College Chapel in 1974.

On moving back to London, Sue taught in the NNEB program at West Ham College while working towards her B.A. in Education at the Open University. In 1977 Sue and Andrew welcomed their son, Simon, and in 1979, their daughter, Cassandra. Sue stepped back from work to be at home with the children during their early years. When she returned to work, it was as a teacher at Oaklands School (Loughton). While she adored her young pupils, she realized the right thing for her was to resume teaching adults how to teach children. She left Oaklands to become a lecturer in the NNEB programs at Enfield and Harlow Colleges until, in 1988, she emigrated to Canada with Andrew and the children.

It was difficult for her to leave behind her family, close friends and teaching job, but true to her strength and nature, she forged new friendships and commenced a teaching job in the ECE Program at Centennial College. Sue pursued a Master’s degree in adult education at Vermont College of Norwich University, and then a PhD at the State University of New York, where she was also a teaching assistant, commuting back and forth between Toronto and Buffalo, making friends (of course!) with the Customs officers at the border crossing.

In 2001, a painful, degenerative neurological condition meant she had to cease her dissertation and retire from teaching at Centennial College. These losses were acutely painful for her. While battling those losses, along with chronic pain and declining mobility, Sue continued to develop curricula and several new editions of the ECE textbook she had authored, “Take a Look,” the first edition of which was published in 1994 and the 7th and final edition in 2019.

Sue’s time at the Froebel Institute was formative and she remained a true Froebelian. Throughout her career she championed the importance of play-based learning in the early years and pushed back against more formal views of education and standardized testing for young children. Sue valued the approaches of Rudolf Steiner, Maria Montessori (as originally intended, not so much the current incarnation), as well as Indigenous pedagogies - about which she wrote extensively in recent years.

Sue’s interests and passions were not limited to her career. She maintained a great interest in ceramics, exploring galleries locally and while traveling, was musical - excelling in clarinet and voice in her younger years, seriously enjoyed a relaxed afternoon tea, savoured time spent with her friends, and fiercely and unconditionally loved and supported Simon and Cassie. This is not an exhaustive list!

Sue was predeceased by her parents, Major Thomas David John and Audrey Finnie (née Stott), mother and father in-law Cicely and Frederick Martin, brother-in-law Ted, niece Mischa, and close friends Gill and Ruth.

She is survived by her very loving yet most unlikely husband of 50 years, Andrew, her children Simon (Jennifer) and Cassandra, her beloved grandsons Thomas and Nicholas, sister Deborah, Uncle Jim, Uncle Neville, sisters in law Claudia and Sophie, treasured godson Ricky, plus cousins, nieces and nephew.

Sue made a huge number of friends and connections throughout her life and they meant so much to her. We are unable to list them but that in no way reflects their importance to her and our family. Included among these friends are former students, dating back decades, who remained in contact with Sue and have attested to the appreciable impact she had on them.

The compassion of healthcare providers made a difficult two months that bit more tolerable. We want to express our gratitude to the nurses of the St. Michael’s Hospital Trauma and Neurosurgery Inpatient Unit, oncologist Dr. Tsang, remarkable palliative physicians Dr. Myers, Dr. Wales and Dr. Whelan, and the nurses, OT and PSWs that made it possible for Sue to spend her final weeks at home.

Special thanks to Archdeacon Deborah Kraft and Penny for their presence and love in Sue’s last 24 hours, and to Pauline, Gemma, and Caroline, who crossed the ocean to spend time with Sue and family during the tough days leading up to her passing.

A funeral service will be held in Toronto at the Chapel of St. James-the-Less, St. James’ Cemetery, Parliament Street, Toronto on Thursday, 3rd of July at 11.30 am.

While Sue adored flowers, she is no longer here to enjoy them. Instead, if anyone wishes to make a charitable donation in her memory, please consider the cause close to her and her family’s hearts: The Meagan Bebenek Foundation for Pediatric Brain Tumours https://www.meaganbebenekfoundation.org