We celebrate the long and beautiful life of Mary Wechsler (born Roza Maria Szabo), who passed away of cancer on October 21, 2024 in Toronto, Canada.

Mary was of Hungarian cultural heritage and was born in Turda, Romania on December 6, 1939 to mother Aurelia Nagy and father Ludovic Szabo. She was the youngest of six children, and her childhood spanned the turbulent World-War II environment in Eastern Europe. Mary was a good student and was educated in Romania, eventually completing post-secondary dental school.

In 1960 she met Andrei Wechsler while in post-secondary school and they enjoyed exploring the Carpathian Alps and countryside together and with their friends.

On August 17, 1963 Mary was married to Andrei Wechsler in Arad, Romania where she lived for many years and they had two children, Stefan and Ildiko.

To escape the oppression of communist Romania, the family left Romania in 1974 and immigrated briefly to Israel and then Greece. They eventually settled in Toronto, Canada in December 1975, in Toronto's Jewish community near Bathurst Street. The whole family would eventually become Canadian citizens.

Mary found work as a denturist in the Rosedale community and and was sought after to create new smiles for many important and famous Canadians. Mary was an artist and liked painting and sewing, creating many beautiful things for her family and grandchildren. She made each grandchild a beautiful hand sewn quilt which will be cherished for years to come. Her art and homes expressed traditional Hungarian folk themes of which she was very fond. Mary also enjoyed playing the piano.

In 1979, Mary and her family settled in the Toronto community of Don Mills, where she lived for rest of her life. Mary made a beautiful home for her family. She also enjoyed an active life, participating in tennis and skiing. Mary was always generous with her time and kind words, and especially with her cooking, producing homemade meals in the Hungarian style for her family and guests, which always left a large impression on their eyes and bellies..

In 1987, Mary and Andrei purchased a country acreage in East Garafraxa, Ontario where they built a second home with their children. This became their retirement home for over three decades, where Mary admired the countryside in all seasons and loved the fresh air. There, Mary hosted many large gatherings of family and friends.

After surgery for brain cancer in 2011, Mary courageously continued, with some disabilities, to see her children establish their lives and her four grandchildren become young women . Sadly, after cancer treatment in spring 2024, she succumbed to her illness on October 21, 2024 at the Princess Margaret Hospital in the presence of her children and husband.

Mary's kindness and generosity will be greatly missed by all who knew her. She was, and will always be, the spiritual cornerstone of her family.