Cynthia Gough

We honour our loving mum, a cherished grandmother, sister, and friend who saw beauty in everything and everyone. Born in Calcutta in 1929, she was one of five children. As a child, Cynthia overcame great difficulty, including a serious illness at 11 years old and the death of her father shortly thereafter. Nevertheless, she excelled in her studies and remained steadfast in her faith.

Always adventurous, Cynthia emigrated to Canada in 1964 with Lionel, the love of her life, and her two children Gail and Jackie. Cynthia and Lionel both enjoyed successful careers, Cynthia as an executive secretary at a number of organizations including York University and Lionel as a sergeant with Toronto Police Services.

Cynthia was precise with her words. She was a tremendous storyteller; her nose was perpetually in a book, or her hand poised over a crossword or jumble like a crane’s beak hovers over a pond.

Over the years, Cynthia and Lionel opened their home to dozens of others emigrating from India, and they supported their arrival and early days in Canada. They spent their retirement doing what they loved – being with their grandchildren, travelling the world, gardening, cooking and dancing. They were an integral part of the congregation at Christ Church in Woodbridge and the broader Anglo-Indian community in the GTA.

Cynthia’s home was a gathering place of family and friends, filled with love, laughter, music, and plants. Mum loved to watch things grow and spent many hours tending her garden, her happy place.

She was a devoted grandmother to her three grandchildren and the favourite “Aunty” to her nieces and nephews and many others. She is survived by her sister, Brenda Smith (Cliff), her daughters, Gail Gilbert (Raymond) and Jackie Gough (Brian), her grandchildren Mieke, Nasrin and Jordan Gilbert (Caitlin) as well as her five great grandchildren, Mikayla, Evan Cullen, Porter and Daisy Woods, and Emmett Gilbert.

The family extends their heartfelt thanks to the staff at Credit Valley Hospital.

 In lieu of flowers donations to the Credit Valley Hospital would be greatly appreciated ( please select a specific program, and click on "Site Specific: Credit Valley Hospital").

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