In memory of
Benjamin Ghanbari
October 10, 1963 - September 11, 2026
Passed away peacefully on Friday, September 11th, 2026, at the North York General Hospital at the age of 62 years.
Ben leaves behind his wife, Silvia Majer. Loving father to Alexa, Jessica and Adrian. Forever cherished by his siblings Majid, Mehrzad and Maryam and his nieces and nephews Sonia, Luca, Sunny and Nazgol. Predeceased by his parents Hussein and Eshrat. He will be missed by family, friends and all who knew him.
Ben was born in Mobarakeh, Iran, and grew up in Isfahan. At 26 years old, on January 1, 1989, he immigrated to Toronto, Canada, in search of a new beginning. Shortly after arriving, he met the love of his life Silvia, in an ESL class - Ben, who already knew a bit of English, spent hours patiently helping her learn.
Back home in Iran, Ben bravely fought in the Iran-Iraq war, before starting his career as a banker. In Toronto, he started fresh, launching his Canadian banking career with the Royal Bank of Canada, before going on to explore other corners of the financial industry.
Ben and Silvia married in 1994, first lived in Davisville, then Danforth, and then settled into the suburb of Oakville where they raised their first two daughters together. It was here that the family placed their roots and welcomed their third child. Ben cherished bringing his kids along to his favourite spots - Little Iran in North York, St. Lawrence Market, and coffee shops around the city. He loved nothing more than a long car ride, playing what he called "oldie tunes" with the kids, and spending time at the lake.
Ben loved a good cup of coffee with a sweet treat, collecting every hat imaginable, and keeping up to date on political topics and world issues. He loved building traditions with his children. Every Sunday, he would take young Alexa and Jessica to Monastery bakery for fresh bread, and a cookie from behind the counter as he was friendly with the owners. Every Friday, he'd take Adrian to Whole Foods for fish and chips - a tradition just the two of them shared for years. Everywhere he went, Ben left a mark, and was friendly with all the people in his favourite places. He had a booming laugh you could pick out from across the room, and a nickname for each of his kids - Lexibex, Jejuca, and Andibandi.
For the past several years, Ben lived in North York, where he became the fixture of his coffee group of friends at the Yonge & Sheppard McDonalds. After facing multiple health challenges, he was shown great compassion by friends like Moe, Payman, and his neighbour Roy, who never hesitated to lend a helping hand, check in on him, or simply stop by for a cup of tea and a chat.
The family is deeply grateful to his personal support workers, specialists, and allied health teams at North York General Hospital and Sunnybrook Hospital for the care Ben received in his final years.
Family and Friends will be received at THE SIMPLE ALTERNATIVE FUNERAL CENTRE- MISSISSAUGA 1535 South Gateway Road (at Dixie Road, two lights south of Eglinton) 905-602-1580 on Sunday, September 20, 2026, for a Celebration of Ben's Life from 1-5 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the Heart & Stroke Foundation would be appreciated by the family.
Ben leaves behind his wife, Silvia Majer. Loving father to Alexa, Jessica and Adrian. Forever cherished by his siblings Majid, Mehrzad and Maryam and his nieces and nephews Sonia, Luca, Sunny and Nazgol. Predeceased by his parents Hussein and Eshrat. He will be missed by family, friends and all who knew him.
Ben was born in Mobarakeh, Iran, and grew up in Isfahan. At 26 years old, on January 1, 1989, he immigrated to Toronto, Canada, in search of a new beginning. Shortly after arriving, he met the love of his life Silvia, in an ESL class - Ben, who already knew a bit of English, spent hours patiently helping her learn.
Back home in Iran, Ben bravely fought in the Iran-Iraq war, before starting his career as a banker. In Toronto, he started fresh, launching his Canadian banking career with the Royal Bank of Canada, before going on to explore other corners of the financial industry.
Ben and Silvia married in 1994, first lived in Davisville, then Danforth, and then settled into the suburb of Oakville where they raised their first two daughters together. It was here that the family placed their roots and welcomed their third child. Ben cherished bringing his kids along to his favourite spots - Little Iran in North York, St. Lawrence Market, and coffee shops around the city. He loved nothing more than a long car ride, playing what he called "oldie tunes" with the kids, and spending time at the lake.
Ben loved a good cup of coffee with a sweet treat, collecting every hat imaginable, and keeping up to date on political topics and world issues. He loved building traditions with his children. Every Sunday, he would take young Alexa and Jessica to Monastery bakery for fresh bread, and a cookie from behind the counter as he was friendly with the owners. Every Friday, he'd take Adrian to Whole Foods for fish and chips - a tradition just the two of them shared for years. Everywhere he went, Ben left a mark, and was friendly with all the people in his favourite places. He had a booming laugh you could pick out from across the room, and a nickname for each of his kids - Lexibex, Jejuca, and Andibandi.
For the past several years, Ben lived in North York, where he became the fixture of his coffee group of friends at the Yonge & Sheppard McDonalds. After facing multiple health challenges, he was shown great compassion by friends like Moe, Payman, and his neighbour Roy, who never hesitated to lend a helping hand, check in on him, or simply stop by for a cup of tea and a chat.
The family is deeply grateful to his personal support workers, specialists, and allied health teams at North York General Hospital and Sunnybrook Hospital for the care Ben received in his final years.
Family and Friends will be received at THE SIMPLE ALTERNATIVE FUNERAL CENTRE- MISSISSAUGA 1535 South Gateway Road (at Dixie Road, two lights south of Eglinton) 905-602-1580 on Sunday, September 20, 2026, for a Celebration of Ben's Life from 1-5 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the Heart & Stroke Foundation would be appreciated by the family.
Funeral Details
Show location:
Celebration of Life
The Simple Alternative - Mississauga
1535 South Gateway Road, Mississauga, ON, CANADA, L4W 5J1
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Sunday, 20 Sep 2026 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM