Florence Reich (née Gross)

In her 97th year, Florence Irene Reich (née Gross) passed away peacefully on November 3, 2025.

Daughter of the late Max and Esther (Annie) Gross. Sister of Mildred Weinberg and the late Helen Messinger, and boundlessly energetic mother to Jonathan (Kathy Freeman), Dahlia (Ian Gillespie) and Paul (Paula Groulx.) Florence was a loving, devoted, playful and exuberant Bubby to grandchildren Alex, Noah, Truman and Madeleine Reich; and Jonas, Graeme and Gabrielle Gillespie. They were her greatest joy, and she revelled in their visits, predictably serving up her only signature dish - meatballs. In between visits, there were long calls, and even longer voice messages. Florence will also be missed by nieces, nephews, cousins and many cherished friends and neighbours with whom she shared her active, adventurous life in Rosemere.

A graduate in Phys Ed from the University of Toronto, Florence maintained her inexhaustible enthusiasm for skiing, skating, tennis, cruising on her antique bike, swimming, gardening and snow shovelling well into her 80s and beyond. Each fall, she conscripted all the Montcalm kids to rake her sprawling yard, for which they were rewarded with a piece of black licorice. No walk, ski day, tennis round robin, or adult swim at the pool was long enough for Flo. The outdoors in all seasons was her happy place – and she made it ours too.

Florence earned other degrees at various stages of life, including English-as-a second-language, special ed, and a Master of Social Work. She retired from teaching in her 70s and left an indelible impression on many newcomers to Montreal. She loved to tell the story about spotting the former Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau while on a class field trip in the city, then boldly introducing him to her bewildered immigrant students.

Florence also had a deep appreciation for the arts. A longtime choir singer, she loved the theatre and concerts, performed in Gilbert and Sullivan productions, and would routinely fill any room with her warbling falsetto. She also brought the arts to Montcalm Ave, organizing front porch talent and variety shows involving the entire neighbourhood.

With much forethought and generosity, Florence never forgot a birthday or holiday, and her packages were always secured with metres of scotch tape, rendering her gifts as impenetrable as Fort Knox. Even late in life, she thought nothing of jumping on a train for the lengthy trek to Dahlia in London, Ontario, always emerging with fascinating anecdotes of people she met enroute, including, once, the tallest man in Canada.

But to truly convey the essence of Florence is to describe a complex woman who was fierce and formidable. Forthright and fearless. Vivacious and indomitable. She was movie-star beautiful, big-hearted, funny and laughed easily, yet also unapologetically obstinate and opiniated. She may ask for your opinion but hers was better.

Florence was a force of nature with an irrepressible spirit. She left a trail of stories, memories, and sayings that will continue to echo through our lives. We will tell them with laughter and fondness, ensuring she remains as unforgettable in memory as she was in life.

The family is forever grateful to those who made it possible for Florence to stay in her beloved house for as long as she did and then remain in the region she loved – the endlessly devoted Ann Gillard whose love, support, friendship and supply of treats were unwavering, and the caring staff at Sunrise de Fontainebleau. Special thanks also to the palliative care physicians and team at the Hospital of Saint-Eustache for their compassionate and outstanding care.

Graveside funeral on Thursday, November 6, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at the Beit Abraham Congregation Section, Kehal Israel Cemetery, D.D.O. Check back for Zoom link. In honour of Florence, please consider donating to any charity that strikes a chord with you. She maintained a long list of charities each year—modest in amount, but immense in thoughtfulness.