Marian Brody (nee Kazdan)

Marian was born in Fergus, Ontario as the only daughter of Max and Molly Kazdan. She was pre-deceased by brothers Sam and Eddy, and is survived by her brother Frank of Rochester, New York.

She was married for 60 years to Syd (known to his friends as red) until he passed away in 2007. She leaves behind her daughter Carla and her husband Kenny, and her son Mark and his wife Lynn.  She was a Bubby to her 4 granddaughters; Marja, Kelly, Jessica, and Laura and her great-grandson Gavin. 

As a young girl, Marian (Mary to most of her friends & family) had an accident that left her with lifetime hip problems.  Many years later she endured 3 hip replacements and survived Breast Cancer.  Despite her health issues she was always offering help to family or her many friends whatever the need was. In her earlier years she would travel downtown and work alongside her elderly parents, helping them run their neighbourhood Grocery on Spadina Avenue. When her long-time friends Anita and Jack Davidson needed help at their Grocery, she was always there. When her friend Blanche needed to go to an appointment, she was there. She tirelessly volunteered many, many hours at the Beth David B’nai Israel Beth Am Synagogue Gift Shop. and she was an active member of the Sisterhood.

When the kids were young, she was a stay-at-home mom, attending Bowling leagues & playing with her weekly Mah-Jhong group. As the kids got older, she worked part-time at the Bay Lawrence Plaza Jewelry counter until the bay restructured and the work was no longer available. Mary loved jewelry and wore lots and lots of it.

She doted on all her grandchildren, and as she lived close by, she spent lots of time with Marja the eldest and Kelly the youngest.  She was a second mom to them, looking after them so their parents could work late hours and weekends. She said that grandkids were the dividends of having children. Sadly, when granddaughter Jessica’s son Gavin was born, the terrible disease of Alzheimer’s stole away the joy of her knowing her only great grandchild.  Her illness didn’t allow her to attend the marriage of Marja and Shahin nor the marriage of Jessica and Blaine. 

She loved animals and was crazy about Marja’s dog Sydney (affectionately named after her late husband) and she looked forward to weekly visits from Sydney at the nursing home. Sydney in return loved to visit Bubby, relentlessly licking her face to greet her with kisses, and lying on her legs almost as if it was a way of offering her comfort. 

Mary was a great cook and accomplished baker. Many will attest that they loved getting gifts of her homemade cookies and strudel. She was a strong, independent and compassionate woman with lots of energy until she began failing physically and then mentally. She turned 94 on August 30th of this year and fought strong and hard right until the end.

Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Society of Ontario at 416-967-5900.

The service and burial will take place at Dawes Road Cemetery, 3169 St. Clair Ave. E., Scarborough.

The Shiva will be held immediately following the service at 312 Charlton Ave., Vaughan, L4J 6H4 (Steeles Ave. and Dufferin St.)