With great sadness and fond memories we announce the passing of Joy Silverman (nee Kivenko) on Tuesday, March 27, 2018 at the age of 72. Joy passed peacefully at home with her family by her side, after a valiant fight against pancreatic cancer. Joy was the beloved wife of Bernie, her soulmate of 54 years. She was a loving mother to Andy (Mia) and Stu (Fahrin), and a doting grandmother to Ella, Tim and Amira. She is also survived by her brother John.

Joy will be dearly missed by all her friends, many of whom had known her for decades, from their time growing up and raising their families in Montreal, to living and working in Toronto, to spending their retired winters together in Florida.

Joy worked as a teacher for over 30 years, with her focus on teaching children with special needs who thrived under the loving attention that only a person of her spirit could give. Joy spent the last years of her teaching career devoted to helping blind and visually impaired children learn the skills required to enjoy fulfilling lives.

Joy and Bernie retired as soon as they could, and they spent the last 17 years seeing the world together. Joy had a deep understanding that the world is bigger than what was immediately around her, and she was forever grateful that she had the chance to explore it.

Joy lived her life guided by the simple principle of “do unto others as you would have done to yourself.” She was loving and straightforward, frugal and generous, and above all else, devoted to the people she loved. She will be forever missed and lovingly remembered by everyone who knew her.

In memory of Joy and in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Oraynu Congregation for Humanistic Judaism (416-385-3910) and the Israel Cancer Research Fund (www.icrf.ca).