Predeceased by husband, James (Jimmy), brother Harri and her parents Linda and Bernhard. Survived by brother Rein and daughters Karleen (Bill) and Dahlia, grandchildren Madeline, Liam, Lucas, Morgan and great grandchild, Carson. Beloved mother, sister, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt and friend. In lieu of flowers please send donations to Lupus Ontario and the Kidney Foundation of Canada. Juta died peacefully in the company of her family on November 6th, 2021.

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Juta's Tribute Slideshow (no music) - copy & paste the link into your browser: https://youtu.be/NRdFH11RV4A

Juta's Playlist - copy & paste the link into your browser: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7xgAnNcuyYEaKynjA9AGqO?si=4eMdu6ESQ9ScUSwXh-ngCw
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Predeceased by husband, James (Jimmy), brother Harri and her parents Linda and Bernhard. Survived by brother Rein and daughters Karleen (Bill) and Dahlia, grandchildren Madeline, Liam, Lucas, Morgan and great grandchild, Carson. Beloved mother, sister, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt and friend. In lieu of flowers please send donations to Lupus Ontario and the Kidney Foundation of Canada. Juta died peacefully in the company of her family on November 6th, 2021.

Juta was born to parents Linda and Bernhard in Simrishamn, Sweden in 1945. At the age of three, Juta and her parents immigrated to Canada aboard the famous little minesweeper ship “The Walnut.” Her first home was on Jones Avenue where she and her parents lived for approximately two months. Her first friend was a boy called Jim...but not Jimmy Cowan. With her white fur coat and muff, she was one of the cutest best dressed little girls around. Juta attended Williamson Road Junior Public School and spent much of her early years as an active member of the Estonian Community and loved Estonian folk dancing, rhythmic gymnastics and going to summer camp.

Juta attended Eastern Commerce Collegiate Institute. In her final year of school, through mutual friends, she met Jim Cowan and they went on their first date at the Balmy Beach Club. They were married in 1965. As newly-weds Juta and Jimmy traveled in Europe, where they were joined by Jim’s brother Mike and friend Al Fountain, who drank all of their special wine, while hitching a ride with the happy couple through France.

Juta and Jimmy bought their first house on Osborne Avenue, where their daughters Karleen and Dahlia spent their childhoods. Juta made a safe and welcoming home for many, many, many nieces and nephews and neighbourhood kids, and offered good humour, love, acceptance, and excellent snacks to all who came into her house. Juta was also a fabulous and generous hostess, famous for an annual Boxing Day party, which she hosted over the years on Kingswood Ave. She was a dedicated sister and sister-in-law and she deeply loved being part of a large extended family.

Throughout their life together Juta and Jimmy loved to travel. Some memorable trips include Hawai’i, Hungary, France (again), New York, and Chicago. She had fond memories of times spent with friends at the Duff’s cottage, Lyn and Vic’s Arundle home in the Laurentian Mountains, and the neighbourhood Pub, Feathers. Juta and Jimmy had a beautiful romance and they made a life together that had a huge impact on everyone lucky enough to know them.

In the early years of her career, Juta worked as a legal secretary. For many years she worked as an office administrator for the Toronto District Schoolboard, retiring from Park Public School.

Juta had a passion for reading fiction and, since retirement, was active in several book clubs. For the past 22 years, Juta’s favourite thing was spending time with and doing almost anything for her grandchildren Madeline, Liam, Lucas and Morgan and great-grandchild Carson. For many years she brought Madeline to rhythmic gymnastics and was always thrilled to attend Liam and Lucas’s hockey games, and was their teams’ biggest fan.

We will all miss her very much: her support and continuous presence, her soft wisdom and kindness, her sense of humour, her spirited eyes, huge grin and love for living. She cared for so many of us, even as she lived with Lupus for the past three decades and was a dialysis patient for close to twenty years. Throughout her life she was the care-giver and backbone of our family. Good-bye Juta, we hope you and Jimmy are dancing.

A Visitation in Juta’s memory will be held on Friday, November 12th from 9:00 – 10:00 am at YORK FUNERAL CENTRE, 160 Beecroft Ave, Toronto, ON. A Funeral Service will follow at 10:00 am. Per the family’s request, proof of vaccination and photo ID will be required from all guests that are over 12 years of age. Masks or Facial Coverings must be worn at all times.

For those who wish to view the services remotely, a livestream link will be available at the top of this webpage at 9:00 am on November 12th.

The Cowan Family greatly appreciates your kindness and support. In lieu of flowers please consider sending donations to Lupus Ontario and the Kidney Foundation of Canada in Juta’s memory.