Ethel Prehogan

Peacefully and with love all around her in her ninety-ninth year on Friday, February 7, 2025.  Beloved wife of the late Jack Prehogan.  Treasured mother and mother-in-law of Phyllis and John Heaphy, Ken Prehogan and Sharon Landsman, Ron and Avalee Prehogan.  Adored grandmother of Harris and Ilana, Johanna and David, Dara and Brad, Jacqueline and Isaac, Laura and Patrick, and Karen.  Loved great-grandmother of Micah, Samantha, Jonas, Lily, Jackson, Esti, Sari, Wesley, Elle, Logan and Lucy.

Predeceased by her parents, Goldie and Harry Gruber of Winnipeg, Manitoba and by her dearly beloved siblings and their spouses, Dr. Leslie and Coby Gruber of Mount Pleasant, Michigan and Fay and Sam Sperling of Los Angeles, California, all of blessed memory.  

Ethel lived a rich and meaningful life until well into her 90s.  She had a curious and brilliant mind and a deep and caring heart.  Without a formal education beyond high school, she more than made up for it through years of heavy reading and attending courses at McGill University.  Her passion for the arts was equally impressive, whether it was attending the opera, ballet, symphony orchestra or a play at Place des Arts or visiting the latest exhibit at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. She travelled the world, enjoyed curling and cross-country skiing as she did attending and scoring baseball games first with the Montreal Royals and then with the Expos, walked Mount Royal daily for decades, and never missed her daily glass of fine wine. Her cooking and baking were exquisite, and her home was always the most open, inviting and fun place to be for so many.      

Ethel was the perfect complement to Jack throughout their 66 years of marriage. While they were very different in so many ways, they were like one when it came to the things that truly mattered in their lives.  They enjoyed a vibrant social life with wonderful lifelong friends like Gail and Irving Grundman, Sheila and Jack Zittrer, Shirley and Leo Rosentzveig, all of blessed memory, and so many others. 

As important as her friends were to her, Ethel’s love and devotion to her family were at a whole other level.  Whether it was passing on her wisdom at every opportunity or opening up her home and heart to her children and grandchildren, their friends, spouses and families, it was a love-fest that went on for many years.  To say that she will remain in our hearts and minds forever is not enough.  She was and always will be our guiding light. 

The family extends their deep and abiding gratitude to Tessie and Christina for the care, love and attention they showed to Ethel in her final days.           

Funeral service from Paperman & Sons, 3888 Jean Talon St. W., on Monday, February 10 at 12:00 p.m. Burial at the Beth Ora Congregation Section, Kehal Israel Cemetery, D.D.O.  Shiva in Ottawa at Ron and Avalee’s home, and in Toronto at Ken and Sharon’s home.    

Donations in Ethel’s memory may be made to support the partnership between the University of Ottawa's Brain and Mind Research Institute and Hebrew University of Jerusalem to promote multidisciplinary research and accelerate discoveries in Alzheimer's Disease using the following link: https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/donation-form/honour-the-legacy-of-ethel-prehogan