Lily, Sophie, Blaise and their children
My deepest sympathy on the loss of your mom..her memory will live on in the stories you share with each other and extended family.
TOABE, Jane Carol
1950 - 2022
Jane Carol Toabe of Aylmer in Gatineau, Qc, formerly of Marblehead, MA, and Fort-Coulonge, Qc, departed this life on October 12, 2022 of leukemia, surrounded by her loving family.
A lifelong artist, Jane started drawing at an early age, expanding to painting, embroidery, fiber arts, storytelling, and other media. She studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and the Ontario School of Art. She developed an independent style of surrealist figurative abstraction. Jane often rendered her varied subjects in bright, imaginative colour combinations woven through flowing, energetic, and intuitive marks. The narratives and symbolism that she dealt with were often guided by a combination of experiences in her waking life, her dreams, and her fantasies. Throughout her artistic practice, Jane bravely confronted her subconscious and trusted her muses.
For 18 years, Jane co-owned and helped run a 500 acre up-land farm along the Coulonge River, near Fort-Coulonge, where she and her then-husband Fred Ryan raised their three children. Taking an abandoned farm, they turned it into a successful sheep & lamb operation with over 300 breeding ewes. In 1987 their farm won the Eastern Canada "fine wool" competition by the Canadian Woolgrowers Cooperative. During those years Jane also made cheese from their Brown Swiss milk cows and preserved volumes of vegetables from their huge garden. Jane's love of gardening continued after selling the farm, always nurturing and creating beauty.
Jane became a spinner (wool) and joined a local co-op of knitters and spinners. Jane dyed and spun her own fine wool, which was awarded best wool in Quebec and the Maritimes one year. She helped produce a regional cookbook of lamb recipes, contributing her own superb "Garlic-roast of lamb". She developed a life-long interest and fascination with First Nations' culture and traditions and regularly participated in the Hull, Qc, native healing centre, the Kumik.
Jane will be remembered for her gentle nature, her sense of humour, her fierce courage, her mystical insight, and her immense capacity for love. Jane incorporated these skills throughout her life and practices, such as with her deep knowledge of gemology and astrology. She obtained her prospecting licence in 1993 and explored mineral sites throughout central and western Quebec. She shared these gifts with many in the Pontiac region by writing astrology reports for the local paper, The Pontiac Journal -- which she indirectly helped found with husband Fred – turning both bright forecasts and cautious portends into life lessons embraced by her readers. Her aesthetic abilities made her an excellent photographer during the newspaper's early years.
Her legacy of kindness, love, and creativity continues with her children Lily Toabe Ryan, Blaise Toabe Ryan (Emma-Leigh Welsh), and Sophiarose Toabe Ryan, siblings Surah Toabe Whelan (Bob), Billy Toabe, and Bobby Toabe (Guanaira Ferreira), former partner/husband of 21 years Fred Ryan, former son-in-law Rodrigo Medrano, six adoring grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her mother Joan Musen (née Sandler), father Jason Toabe, and younger brother Scott. Jane will be remembered with love and devotion by her extended family and abiding friends Bess Cutler, Mario Côté, and many others.
A memorial was held by Rabbi Elizabeth Bolton of Congregation Or Haneshamah of Ottawa at 1:00 pm on Friday October 14, 2022, at First Unitarian Church (30 Cleary Ave, Ottawa, ON, K2A 4A1). Jane’s memory will be dearly cherished.
Online condolences may be made at www.cfo.coop
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