Marie Smibert

On behalf of all the executive and past presidents of OBEA (Ontario Business Educators' Association), I would like to tell you how saddened we all were when we heard of Marie's passing. She was a wonderful educator and and outstanding role model for all business teachers in Ontario. She attended the annual OBEA conference as well as the Past Presidents dinner without fail. These were a few of the comments some of her OBEA colleagues said about Marie. .... I always enjoyed our chats each year -- she kept up with current events in business and teaching -- I will truly miss her at the Past President's table this year. She was such a class act and inspiration. We had many talks over the years. I am going to miss her. Her life was well spent and full of vigor! Marie was a wonderful colleague as well as a fine lady and an exemplary role model for us all. We are all deeply saddened by Marie's passing.

Linda Brown, On behalf of OBEA, Ontario Business Educators AssociationOn behalf of all the executive and past presidents of OBEA (Ontario Business Educators' Association), I would like to tell you how saddened we all were when we heard of Marie's passing. She was a wonderful educator and and outstanding role model for all business teachers in Ontario. She attended the annual OBEA conference as well as the Past Presidents dinner without fail. These were a few of the comments some of her OBEA colleagues said about Marie . .... I always enjoyed our chats each year -- she kept up with current events in business and teaching -- I will truly miss her at the Past President's table this year. She was such a class act and inspiration. We had many talks over the years. I am going to miss her. Her life was well spent and full of vigor! Marie was a wonderful colleague as well as a fine lady and an exemplary role model for us all. We are all deeply saddened by Marie's passing.

We admired Marie as a leader in her profession and valued her as a friend of more than fifty years. We join her family and many friends in their cherished memories of a remarkable woman.

Marie Smibert was a Friend of the St. Marys Museum and a great supporter of its projects and initiatives, especially those relating to the preservation of local history and archival records. She was one of the most dedicated and organized genealogical researchers that ever visited the Museum's resource area - and she always visited at least once a year, usually combining a stop in St. Marys with a visit to her family in London.(She also looked forward to stopping at Hearn's on Queen Street for a foot-long for her lunch - her regular St. Marys treat!) During her genealogical research, she accumulated an enormous amount of information about her ancestors in the London-St. Marys area. But she did much more than collect marriage-birth-death statistics. She had a broad interest in historic events and the social context in which they lived. She generously shared this information with others who had similar interests. I always admired her positive, independent spirit and I will miss her lovely smile and her great kindness.

We have not seen Marie for some years but we remember with love her visit to Edinburgh when she was doing some work on the family ancestry. We still do not know how and if we are related but it was fun finding out. Best wishes to the family at this sad time. We thank God for her wonderfully fulfilling life.

I will miss Marie. She was a loyal friend who kept me up to date on all the arts, issues in education , and current affairs. She was a hard act to follow in high school. Our condolences to Ross and his family. Max & Jean Reimann

Marie was a classmate of my mother, Audrey Gray Cobban, at Western. They faithfully corresponded over the years and Mom was sorry not to see Marie at their 70th anniversary homecoming in October 2010. Marie, of course, had organized everyone to attend, but could not come herself at the last minute due to illness. My mother passed away on September 17, 2011. I imagine she and Marie are getting things organized in heaven.

I met Marie through my late mother, Lillian Johnson (nee Sutcliffe), her cousin. She attended Lillian's special birthday celebrations, most recently her 100th in 2010, along with her brother and his wife. Marie kept the family up to date on the history and geneology of the clan but also sent Mother many clippings and anecdotes on current affairs. She always stopped in to see Lillian in Kitchener on her way to or from Stratford or London, and prior to that, in Welland after her trips to the Shaw Festival. She was amazingly independent and bright for her age. I heard of many interesting conversations she had with my mother over the years and I know she valued her friendship. On behalf of my sister Jan Johnson and my family I send our condolences to her brother Ross and his wife June. Chris Nanson

May I add my condolences to the Smibert family. I was saddened to hear of her passing today in the Globe and Mail. Marie Smibert was my first critic teacher when I went to the College of Education in 1961 to become a business teacher. She was understanding and helpful on my teaching and I learned from her teaching in the classroom at Central of Commerce in Toronto. After retirement, I always spoke to her at the Toronto Western Alumni meetings. She acted as archivist; and always brought a lot of information about Western to the meetings. I have fond memories of her.

Marie and I met only through correspondence a year or two ago. She was generous in sharing her knowledge of family history with me. I had learned only recently that one of my mother's aunts, Jane Young, had married a Smibert. Marie kindly wrote to me about the family. I regret that I did not have an opportunity to meet Marie in person. Marie was well known in Sarnia for her wealth of knowledge of genealogy. Please accept my condolences. Marie's life was well lived and is well remembered.

I was privileged to know Marie for many years primarily through correspondence. She befriended a new genealogist in the early 80s when I was researching the Campbell/Fitzgerald family. We were able to meet at a number of Ontario Genealogical Society Conferences. New family information was discussed over lunch to the point that we would miss the next session- no loss in our mind! I will miss the benefits of her inquiring mind!