With profound gratitude for a life well-lived and loved, we remember Anne Marie McPhie (née Anna Maria Emilia Benedetti), who passed away peacefully on October 30, 2024, in Ajax, surrounded by her family.

Anne Marie was born on August 3, 1949, in Borgotaro, Italy, to Giovanni (John) and Giulia Benedetti (née Fugaccia), who immigrated to Canada in search of a better life for their children. Anne Marie grew up looking up to her older sister, Olga, and, 13 years later, welcomed her younger brother, Renato, whom she and Olga doted on and adored.

Anne Marie’s childhood was charmed by the close connection she had with her cousins on Chestnut Crescent, where Sunday dinners, family picnics on the driveway, and laughter wove together the values of family, humor, and love that would shape her life.

With her long brown hair and bright smile, Anne Marie caught the eye of Garry, whose flashy GTO and fast driving may not have impressed her much—but their immediate connection did. Over corn roasts on the beach and countless conversations, they discovered they were soulmates. Married in 1973, Anne Marie and Garry shared 51 years of deep love and friendship, their differences complementing each other beautifully: Garry, the easygoing conversationalist, and Anne Marie, the thoughtful listener.

As a young married couple, Anne Marie and Garry first moved to Winnipeg in support of Garry’s budding career with IBM. There, Anne Marie found her niche as a legal secretary, where her knack for detail lent itself well to many roles over the years. After returning to Ontario, they began building a life together, crafting homes in Oshawa and later on Oak Hills Road on Rice Lake, creating warm spaces where family would thrive. They welcomed their first child, Carla, in 1979, followed by Chris in 1983. Anne Marie found her true pride in motherhood, always saying her children were her greatest accomplishment.

With a goal to show their children the world, Anne Marie and Garry made family travel a priority, creating cherished memories with trips like Christmas in Rome, New Year’s in Bangkok, visits to London, and adventures in Australia and New Zealand. In later years, Anne Marie and Garry enjoyed a riverboat cruise in Europe with friends and spent winters in Florida and Mexico.

Fortunate to retire at the early ages of 53 and 54, Anne Marie and Garry enjoyed a long retirement together filled with travel, rounds of golf with friends, and the occasional heated game of Scrabble and Gin Rummy.

Anne Marie’s heart expanded with the arrival of her grandchildren, Maeda in 2014 and Zenen in 2017, through her son Chris and his wife, Lisa. Becoming Nonna was a role she cherished deeply, nurturing a special closeness with her grandchildren and creating treasured moments filled with imaginative storytelling, word games, and her love of Jeopardy.

Having survived thyroid cancer at 40, Anne Marie was grateful for the 35 additional years she was granted to watch her children grow up. Garry was always by her side, supporting her through life’s health challenges, including her recent diagnosis of ovarian cancer last December.

Her beloved core four—Garry; daughter Carla and her husband, Andre; and son Chris, his wife, Lisa, and their children, Maeda and Zenen—as well as her mother, Giulia, sister, Olga, and brother, Renato, along with her extended family and friends, mourn her loss greatly. Her love and legacy will live on in the hearts of those who knew her, remembered for her quick wit, humorous approach to life, and appreciation for the sublime.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Anne Marie’s memory to The Foundation Fighting Blindness and the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides.