Marian Patricia Slobodian

Marian was born in Montreal where her dad ran the Montreal Airport for Air Canada. Her family traveled as often and easily as the rest of us breathe. It was natural that Marian’s first career was with Air Canada as an airport agent. She checked in many travelers and helped them on their journeys. Everyone was a friend -- including the many celebrities who came through. She would greet them with: “I think I know you!,” and try to establish how they had met.

After Montreal, Marian was based in Toronto, then Ottawa. The traveling continued. She took a buyout in her 30s and started a new chapter in life – she returned to school. She enrolled in economics at Carleton University where she took copious notes. She met her future husband, Michael Slobodian, by sharing notes with him. They got their degrees and then their masters of economics together. Marian was a smart cookie and analyzing data was her jam. She worked for the Conference Board of Canada for a couple of years and then moved to Statistics Canada.

Marian and Michael were married in 1997 and moved to Saddlebrooke Estates near Carp where they found a community of friends that are still precious. They had stints in Hintonburg and eventually moved to Bells Corners to the home where Michael grew up. Marian loved that house and the yard and befriended the trees. They hosted parties and dinners and she could transform a room and create such warmth and welcome.

Marian would talk about being sick as a child, spending lots of time in hospital, notably for cystitis. She had great respect for doctors and others in the health sector. She had great respect for those who stay when illness hits. Health issues continued to plague her throughout her adult years. Three years ago, Marian was diagnosed with an Alzheimers-type dementia. Her cause of death was sepsis. Thank you to her physician Dr. John Lee; Ontario Health at Home; the team at the Royal Ottawa; and the Queenway-Carleton Hospital for the overwhelming last day. Thank you also to dear friend Bobbie McLachlen (Baby Bear to Marian’s Momma Bear) for hands-on support and friendship.

Marian was precedeased by her parents, Ted and Ruth. She leaves her husband Michael, her sister Sharon Russell Ricciardi, nephews Jeffrey, Brad and Jonathan and their families; in-laws Paul Ricciardi, Richard Cohen and Louise Slobodian; her extended family and many neighbours and friends.

Favourite stories: The time Marian got so caught up in the moment she bid against herseslf at a United Way auction. Her love of Hallowe’en and the incredible use she got out of her wedding dress year after year as a princess, a bride, a friendly spirit, a queen. She and Michael signed everything M&M and it was their brand. They honeymooned in Jamaica and liked it so much they visited 26 more times. Altogether they spent likely 200 days cruising the seas – with a 76-day cruise a highlight. The dogs: Charlie, Harley, Kayman and Levi – she adored them and they adored her. The cats: Beemer and Caicos. Beemer was so affronted when Marian placed a Cancer Bear she had bought from an ill friend on the bedside table; the bear was thrown aside and Beemer took up his proper place.

She could read cards and was very sensitive to pregnancies and other important personal news, often intuiting what was happening in friends and strangers alike. When her friend’s daughter was in a play, Marian went to every single performance – in Brussels! Chocolate. Oh my goodness she loved chocolate – and she was opinionated about chocolate. She would rate every piece she ate, preferring milk and smooth. She loved hot chocolate, chocolate cake, chocolate ice cream. If anything bad happened to you and she wanted to cheer you up, she would bring chocolate. It often worked.

Marian was a provocateur, sometimes taking unpopular stands or saying outrageous things just to start a conversation. She loved to debate and discuss and get deep into hot topics in politics, art, economics and current affairs.

She was always cold and it was ironic that one of her symptoms on her last day was hypothermia. She was wrapped in heated blankets until she said she was too hot. When she was cold, she would throw on her big black coat regardless of the season or temperature. It was a signature look! Sometimes with bug netting and a glass of wine walking the dog. Sometimes with snowshoes. Sometimes with bling. Marian was her own woman and just didn’t care. She did love her shoes, though – stunning heels, elegant sandals, cozy slippers. She would always go up at least twice to a buffet and would sometimes get dessert first. Scotch was her favourite drink, closely followed by diet coke.

There’s so much more to say. The stories and memories are endless. Those can be shared at the celebration of life. Marian has been cremated.

Graveside burial service, followed by lunch and celebration of life

Date: Saturday, October 25

Time: 11 AM

Place: Notre Dame Cemetery - Section I-A (Montreal Road and St. Laurent Blvd), Ottawa.

Reception to follow at Chances 'R (540 Montreal Road, at St. Laurent Blvd), Ottawa.