Ursula Sprengler

It is with the most profound sorrow that we say goodbye to Ursula Sprengler, who passed away peacefully at University Hospital, on Monday, January 29, 2024, at the age of 91. Born in Germany in 1932, she was the daughter of the late Anna and Ewald Schwieger. Her much beloved older brother, Rudolf, was killed on the battlefield in 1944, a loss she grieved continuously until her own final days. Ursula crossed the Atlantic by ship in the early 1950s, and then travelled west by train, living briefly in Regina and Namu. An accomplished dressmaker with unparalleled skill and knowledge of the art, she settled in Toronto where she worked at Travers Fox. She met her loving husband, John, at the El Mocambo, and they were married nearly 25 years until his passing in 1982. In 2005, she left Toronto for London, where she enjoyed lengthy walks, gardening, drives to Lake Huron, reading history books, and almost daily visits with family. Survived by her daughter, Christine (Devin), and two grandchildren, Evelyn and Jackson, the light of her life and center of her world. They were beyond precious to her, a source of intense pride and tremendous joy. She loved them beyond measure, and they her.

Ursula was unfailingly elegant but never hesitated to mobilize some choice words (much to her grandchildren’s delight). She had a work ethic without equal and was fiercely independent. Unwavering stoicism and enduring pragmatism determined her approach to life and death. She always demonstrated fortitude and resilience in the face of adversity, and of that there was plenty. Having survived several brushes with death, we thought she was invincible and, in a way, she remained so by choosing to return to stardust on her own terms. We wish to express our sincerest gratitude to the extraordinary nurses, PSWs, and physicians in the Cardiology unit at University Hospital and to acknowledge the deep compassion shown by the palliative care team. A Celebration of Life will be held in the Spring when the flowers bloom and birds return. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be made to My Sisters’ Place, Life*Spin, the Nature Conservancy of Canada or the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.