May Dale
Feb. 18, 1934 – Sept. 10, 2023

Passed away peacefully, at North York General Hospital on Sept. 10, 2023.
Beloved wife to Mel for 61 years. Adored by son Craig (Bruce) and daughter Andrea (Amrit). Loving Nana to Cole, David, and Mila (Frankie) and the newest family member – Arlo. Predeceased by Mother, Letitia Campbell and siblings Rachel and Willy.

May was born in Glasgow, Scotland on Feb. 18, 1934. At the tender age of 14, May traveled with her mother to Canada to provide support to sister Rachel who was a war bride and had settled with her new husband in remote Quebec. Following, May and Letitia resettled to Toronto for Letitia to secure employment and begin a new life in Canada. Toronto became home for the balance of May’s life. Canada offered a remedy to early childhood strife including poverty, family disputes and parental divorce. Emigration and settlement in Toronto provided the foundation to a new, rewarding life comprising employment, financial opportunity, family, friends, community, and happiness.

Despite a limited education, May was intelligent, curious, articulate, well-read and a beauty. Before meeting and marrying Mel, May’s pursuits spanned modelling, communications, volunteerism, and work at Eaton’s supporting the legendary Eaton’s catalogue. May and Mel met at a political event and courting quickly led to marriage in 1962. Both May and Mel shared similar early life experiences, growing up in a father-less home with little financial security and hard-working mothers caring for their children. Together, May and Mel set off to build a life that provided stability, certainty, and promise. They built their family quickly. Andrea was born in 1963 and Craig in 1965.

Together, May and Mel established an expansive network of friends enriched through those they met at the Donalda Club in Toronto and the Wyndemere Club in Naples, Florida. Their pursuits spanned sports such as tennis and golf, worldwide travel, hosting parties, and limitless support of their children and their respective goals.

May was creative and explored this side of her personality through food, fashion, interior design, home building/renovation and an insatiable curiosity for reading and learning. Her favorite moments were spent curled up on her favorite sofa with a book resting on her lap.

May deeply loved her family and the moments spent together, both great and small. We remain always together – always forever. Special appreciation is extended to Amelia (Maria), a longstanding provider of support and companionship to our family for 46 years.

Cremation has taken place. A private, family celebration of life will take place at a future date.
The family extends sincere thanks and appreciation to the nurses and physicians at North York General Hospital who provided care to May over the final three weeks of her life.

In lieu of flowers, we ask you to please consider a donation to North York General Hospital.