Mary Ella Keefe

1926-2023 Ella was the eighth of ten children born to George and Amy Deacon. Predeceased by her parents, her husband Thomas Keefe, all of her siblings and her sons William and Robert. She is survived by her daughter Judi (Damian), son Gregory, grandchildren: Stefan (Kate), Emma, Lara (Jim), and great grandchildren: Audrey, Sterling, Cora, Isaac, Elle and Hudson. Raised in a small East York bungalow built by her carpenter father in 1914, she and her nine siblings grew up in the depression of the 1930’s. Although times were tough, it was a lively home filled with lots of laughter and love. They all fondly remembered getting the Toronto Star Santa Claus fund boxes at Christmas time and excitedly pulling down the boxes of clothing from the attic at the change of seasons to see what hand me downs would fit. On Sundays the whole family would walk to Woodbine Beach pulling a hand wagon loaded with sandwiches and a layer cake for a day at the lake. As a teenager and young woman she and her sisters would go dancing at the Palais Royale on Toronto’s lakeshore and roller skating at the Mutual Street Arena. At the end of WWII she met and married army serviceman Thomas Keefe. They lived at Base Borden where they had four children and made many lifelong friends. Upon Thomas’ retirement they moved to Toronto where Ella, a trained RNA, worked in the school now known as the Hugh McMillan Centre. Retiring at 69, she spent many happy years enjoying her family and community. After her parent’s death, Ella moved back into the house her father built, where she and all of her siblings had been born. Amy’s garden became Ella’s and she loved to spend time in it tending the rose bushes and other perennials, some as old as herself, including productive asparagus and rhubarb patches. She lived there 25 years, only moving out as the pandemic set-in to bubble with her daughter and son-in-law. She was an avid baker; tins of baked goods at the ready for any guests who might pop in for an afternoon cup of tea. She loved cheering for her beloved Toronto Blue Jays and was an enthusiastic fan of a good parade. You would see her clapping her hands and tapping her feet to the beat of the marching bands. She remained sharp, intellectually engaged and independent in her daily activities to her last day. She died peacefully, as she wished, surrounded by her daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren at home.

Mary Ella Keefe

June 21, 2023