It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Ema Marc (née Lisjak) on Sunday, February 12th, in the presence of her loving family, at the age of 91.

A loving wife to Eugene Marc, devoted mother to her children Lucia (Tim), Esther, Matthew (Nicola), Irene (Jack), Katya (Dominic), and Maya (the late Shaughn), passionate grandmother to her twelve grandchildren Natasha (Philip), Andrew (Taylor), Stephen, Clara, Luka, Theo, Georgina, Emma, Fiona, Zackary, Xavier, and Evan, and proud great-grandmother to Violet.
She played a tremendous part in many lives as the matriarch of the family, and was a shining example of strength, courage, selflessness, and most of all, love.

Ema was born and grew up in Slovenia. A gifted child, she was selected to attend the Ursulines boarding school in Gorizia. She was the first in her village to go to university. She studied Slavic Studies and English Literature at the University of Ljubljana and University of Cambridge. She later taught Slovenian and English at her hometown high school in Dornberk. In 1960, she followed her high school sweetheart and love of her life, Eugene (aka Živko), to Montreal, where they were wed and raised their six children. A teacher at heart, she also worked as a translator. Eventually, once her children were grown and pursuing their higher education and careers, she returned to work full-time as a teacher of Serbo-Croatian to military attachés in Ottawa.

Her true vocation and greatest pride and joy was being a mother. She leaves a legacy of love and devotion to her family and friends. She loved entertaining her many dear Slovenian and Croatian friends. She was incredibly creative and crafty as demonstrated by her love of painting, sewing, knitting, crocheting, cooking, baking, and gardening. She also enjoyed travelling, especially to visit her family in Slovenia as well as her countless trips to Cuba.

She is predeceased by her siblings Zinka, Zorka, Ivan and Mera. She leaves behind her sister Anica, brother Alojz, many loving nieces and nephews, as well as many close friends, whose lives she significantly touched.

“Bodite pridni in imejte se radi.”

Nasvidenje nad zvezdami!

Visitation will be from 10am to 5pm on Sunday, February 19th at the Mount Royal Funeral Complex. The funeral service will be held at the chapel from 5pm to 6pm. Reception to follow from 6pm to 8pm.

A special thanks to the compassionate and caring staff at the Charles-LeMoyne Hospital. In lieu of flowers, donations, in her memory, may be made to the Fondation Hôpital Charles-LeMoyne.