Marilyn Elaine (Essa) Wood

It is with profound sadness that we share that at 3:20 am on Saturday, September 19, 2026, our mom, Marilyn Elaine Wood (née Essa) passed peacefully into the heavens after a year-long battle with cancer.

Marilyn was born to Daniel and Miriam (Mary) Essa on August 16, 1937, in Timmins, Ontario. One of seven children, family was at the heart of her life from the very beginning.

At 15, Marilyn met Keith Wayne Pierce Wood (April 5, 1935 - January 15, 2021) while hitchhiking home with a friend. She would always tell the story with a laugh: “But it’s okay - we took a ride from him because my friend knew him.” Marilyn and Keith married in 1954 and welcomed their daughter Terry (m. Lynn Schroeder) later that year, followed by their son, David (m. Christine Yoshiki) in 1959. They were very young parents, learning as they went and building a life together through the many changes that came with raising a family. Over the years, they shared countless chapters, milestones, celebrations, and memories as their family grew and changed.

In 1968, Marilyn and Keith moved their young family to Toronto, taking a chance on a new life in the big city. There they built fulfilling careers in grocery stores and formed lifelong friendships.

Marilyn was a creative soul. She loved decorating cakes for special occasions and proudly photographed and shared her creations. She was always gardening, knitting, making birthday cards, or preparing beautifully decorated tables for family and friend gatherings. She was especially proud of her Lebanese heritage and loved carrying on food and family traditions she had learned from her mother. Their home was always an open door, especially on Christmas Eve. Family, friends, out-of-town visitors, and anyone who needed a place to belong could always find a seat at Marilyn’s table. Her hospitality knew no limits.

Her heart grew two sizes with the birth of her grandchildren, Keely Jorens Booth (m. Aaron Booth) and Eric Jorens (m. Leanne Christopher). She adored being a grandmother and had a special gift for turning ordinary days into cherished memories. She was later blessed with five great-grandchildren: Sydney, Griffin, Mason, Wyatt and Maeve. She was immensely proud of the family and the legacy she had created. Time together with family was her greatest joy.

Marilyn will also be deeply missed by her lifelong best friends -- Michelle, Gwen and Julie -- as well as her extended family in “the North, the Blood's and the Thom's”. 

Our family extends heartfelt thanks to Dr. Merv Jackson, family doctor for 40+ years, the many wonderful home-care PSWs who supported Marilyn and Keith in their home over the past 35 years. Nieces, Valerie and Christina for giving of their time and love. Dr. Nolan and the team at Sunnybrook Hospital Palliative Care. A special thank you goes to Dr. Nishikawa and the extraordinary team of caring staff at Hospice Peterborough. Their kindness, care and support were deeply appreciated. 

We are also grateful to everyone who reached out and shared their love with Marilyn in her final months. As an avid phone-call maker throughout her life, those final conversations with loved ones were a true bright spot in her days.

Marilyn will be deeply missed, but the lessons she taught us will remain in our hearts:

Love is free—give it to the people you meet.

Family is important. It holds your history and the spirits of those who came before you.

And most importantly, make your life one worth living.

Marilyn did exactly that.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to Hospice Peterborough.