COVEART o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2003-12-23 published
Mary Elizabeth
STARR
By Elizabeth
STARR, Michael
STARR and Laurie
STARR Tuesday, December
23, 2003 - Page A22
Musician, teacher, mother, mother-in-law, sister, granny. Born
March 4, 1920, in Toronto. Died August 3 in Toronto, of a brain
hemorrhage, aged 83.
Mary STARR lived a full life teaching the cello to generations
of students and enjoying a close relationship with her family.
Growing up in Toronto, Mary received her licentiate in cello
in 1947 from the then-Toronto Conservatory of Music (now the
Royal Conservatory) -- the highest possible diploma, and a rather
uncommon achievement at the time for cellists. As a member of
the Conservatory orchestra, she remembered seeing "a young kid"
who played a piano concerto with the orchestra. The "young kid"
was Glenn GOULD.
Through the 1940s and 1950s she travelled extensively
throughout Ontario playing chamber music with various Canadian
musicians who were to become well known: Victor
FELDBRILL,
Eugene
KASH, Stuart
HAMILTON, Steven
STARYK, and John
COVEART among
them.
After her future husband Frank (a singer) went to England, he
managed to entice Mary over in 1951 by sending her programs of
the concerts that were happening in London. There Mary worked,
practised, played, went to concerts, and got married in 1952.
After returning to Canada (and two children later), Mary's teaching
career was well under way. Through her career she taught with
the Metropolitan Toronto School Board as an itinerant cello teacher,
privately with the Royal Conservatory of Music, and in the Seneca
College Suzuki program. She taught three-year-olds, school-aged
children, high-school students, university students and even
a few of the parents of her students. After years of doing four
to six schools per day walking up three flights of stairs (it
always seemed to be three flights of stairs) with a cello and
music, she left to concentrate on private teaching. Although
a number of her students went on to become professional cellists,
Mary remained a tireless advocate of the fundamental value of
musical education to developing and informing the enjoyment of
the art of music throughout one's life; this was more important
to her than becoming a professional musician.
Whether at music camp where she was a faculty member for many
years, or her regular Monday night quartet sessions where we
will always appreciate the warm vibrations and wonderful harmonies
that crept through our house, the opportunity to play chamber
music, just for fun, was one of the great pleasures for Mary
throughout her life.
With the death of Frank in 1969, Mary had to work hard to support
the family to cover all the "needs" and most of the "wants."
She did this admirably.
The last six years of Mary's life, after moving into an apartment
in her son and daughter-in-law's house, were surely among her
best. There she had security with independence, community with
privacy, and a granddaughter who lived just downstairs. She would
sit ensconced in her big green chair, content to let life swirl
around her as she read, needle-pointed, embroidered, or knitted.
Nothing thrilled Mary more than when 11-year-old Laurie and a
few of her Friends took up cello last year. So began private
teaching all over again -- not something she expected at the
age of 82, but this was much more fun!.
Mary was Mary right to the end. After making an impressive recovery
from a broken hip and arm suffered through an encounter with
a revolving door, she was soon to be discharged from the rehabilitation
hospital. She was in good spirits, had her sense of humour, and
craved her "big green chair." She worked hard for that goal that
unfortunately was not to be.
Elizabeth and Michael are Mary's children; Laurie is Mary's granddaughter.
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COVEY o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2003-09-04 published
Died This Day -- 269 airline passengers, 1983
Thursday, September 4, 2003 - Page R9
All aboard Korean Air Lines flight 007 killed when plane shot
down by Soviet fighter after straying into Soviet airspace; dead
included nine Canadians: Mary Jane
HENDRIE of Sault Ste. Marie,
Ontario; George
PANAGOPOULOS, Marilou
COVEY, Chun Lan
YEH and
San-Gi LIM, all of Toronto; François DE
MASSY and François
ROBERT
of Montreal; Larry
SAYERS of Stoney Creek, Ontario; and Rev.
Jean-Paul GRÉGOIRE, a Tokyo resident.
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COVINGTON o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2003-06-14 published
SMITH,
Ian▼
Wilson▼
(October▼ 5, 1935 - June 8, 2003)
Ian died with great dignity, after a valiant struggle with cancer
ending in the caring environment of Lisaard House, Cambridge,
surrounded by loving Friends and family. Deepest thanks to the
staff at Lisaard House and Hopesprings who provided a beacon
of compassion during his struggle. Ian had an extensive career
in marketing after graduating from McGill University. In later
years, he had his own marketing consulting business. We will
remember his great love of the outdoors with a deep affection
for Caledon and the Grand River. His enthusiasm for the people
and things he loved, his wonderful command of the English language
combined with strong opinions and a dry sense of humour made
him a colourful conversationalist. Ian was deeply moved by the
caring Friendship of Beth
SALHANY,
Chaplin▼
Ken▼
BEAL, Joe and
Getta DOYLE, Jim
PUTT, Diane
SIROIS, Desmay
SMITH and many other
special Friends who helped him on his journey. Ian,
son of the
late Sydney
SMITH, will be greatly missed by his daughter Megan
THOMPSON/THOMSON/TOMPSON/TOMSON (daughter of Daphne
SMITH) son-in-law Mike
THOMPSON/THOMSON/TOMPSON/TOMSON
and granddaughters Kendra and Kristen. He is survived by his
daughter Jennifer
FOX, granddaughter Chaelene, mother Dorothy,
sister Diane
COVINGTON, niece and nephew Tara and Tom
McMURTY.
Donations can be sent to Lisaard House, Cambridge (519) 650-1121
in Ian's memory.
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COVINGTON o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2003-06-17 published
SMITH,
Ian▲
Wilson▲
(October▲ 5, 1935 - June 8, 2003)
Ian died with great dignity, after a valiant struggle with cancer
ending in the caring environment of Lisaard House, Cambridge,
surrounded by loving Friends and family. Deepest thanks to the
staff at Lisaard House and Hopesprings who provided a beacon
of compassion during his struggle. Ian had an extensive career
in marketing after graduating from McGill University. In later
years, he had his own marketing consulting business. We will
remember his great love of the outdoors with a deep affection
for Caledon and the Grand River. His enthusiasm for the people
and things he loved, his wonderful command of the English language
combined with strong opinions and a dry sense of humour made
him a colourful conversationalist. Ian was deeply moved by the
caring Friendship of Beth
SALHANY,
Chaplin▲
Ken▲
BEAL, Joe and
Getta DOYLE, Jim
PUTT, Diane
SIROIS, Desmay
SMITH and many other
special Friends who helped him on his journey. Ian,
son of the
late Sydney
SMITH, will be greatly missed by his daughter Megan
THOMPSON/THOMSON/TOMPSON/TOMSON (daughter of Daphne
SMITH) son-in-law Mike
THOMPSON/THOMSON/TOMPSON/TOMSON
and granddaughters Kendra and Kristen. He is survived by his
daughter Jennifer
FOX, granddaughter Chaelene, mother Dorothy,
sister Diane
COVINGTON, niece and nephew Tara and Tom
McMURTRY.
Donations can be sent to Lisaard House, Cambridge (519) 650-1121
in Ian's memory.
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