We have not often published obituaries in the past, but as a Hungarian news site based in Canada, we are certainly interested in remembering Hungarian Canadians and Canadians with close ties to Hungary, especially when they have lived such a colourful life, as did Jean Tatay (1926-2016).
Jean Tatay
Jean Rabone Tatay (nee Hawthorn and formerly Gawn)
August 12, 1926 – June 4, 2016
It is with grief that we announce Jean Tatay’s death. She had been battling complications caused by strokes for the past 4 months. Jean passed away peacefully on Saturday, June 4th in Midland Hospital in Ontario.
Jean will be sorely missed by all her family and friends: especially, her husband Peter; children Penelope, Mallory, Sarah, Graeme, Brendan and Pamela; stepsons Paul and Neil; grandchildren Justin, Rachel, Louise, Isobel, Claire, Ian, Eric, Alex and Robin; and great-grandchildren Sam, Luke, Isaac and August.
Born in New Zealand and raised on a remote sheep farm in Hawkes Bay, she was on horseback often from early childhood on, was home-schooled until she was 13, and went to boarding school for girls thereafter, excelling both academically and in sports. Jean attended Victoria University and Teachers’ College in Wellington, married Frank Gawn early, produced six talented, spirited and successful children, taught Maori children at a one room schoolhouse “in the bush”, between snow-capped volcanoes, taught at Titahi Bay Primary School, followed Frank to Toronto, got her M.A. in English Literature at University of Toronto’s Massey College and, after Frank’s death in 1971, carried on teaching high school while being a single parent.
She was an inspiring and inspired teacher of English, Theatre Arts and Media Studies at Central High School of Commerce and Jarvis Collegiate in Toronto and was greatly loved by her students for her direction and production of many plays and musicals.
Jean met Peter in 1976, kept on teaching, doing plays, living with Peter in Toronto and at their beloved cottage on Gloucester Pool, travelling wide and far. They married in 1980 and enjoyed a beautiful union for 36 more years.
Retired at 62, Jean went with Peter to Budapest, where she taught English as a second language to the professors at the Technical University for 7 years, adapting smoothly to yet another country, culture and language.
Taking second retirement at 70, Jean and Peter began many years of dividing their time between her native New Zealand and their home in Canada. Their common interests included hiking, climbing, swimming, skiing, canoeing, and travelling all over the South Pacific, as well as theatre, art, music and books.
Devoted mother, keen swimmer, avid reader, exceptional teacher, formidable scrabble player, curious traveler, true friend to many, and a wonderful wife and mother, living a vibrant life at a pace others found hard to keep up with.
