Obituary

Alena Renata Zelinka passed away on Tuesday, May 10, 2022, after a short illness. She was the beloved wife of Peter, cherished daughter of Alena Jarmila, loving mother and cheerleader of Alena Alexandra, dear sister-in-law of Sandra and Anthony, caring aunt of Anne-Marie, and generous and attentive daughter-in-law of Lida. Born in Prague, Alena immigrated with her parents to Toronto at a young age. Alena obtained her BSc and MSc in biochemistry from the University of Toronto, after which she specialized in occupational hygiene and toxicology. Her career spanned many years with the Workers Health & Safety Centre, where she evaluated exposures to workplace hazards, and designed solutions and policies to promote worker safety. Alena had a deep appreciation for Nature and loved spending time outdoors. In Ontario, she led mycology forays, searching for prized chanterelles, boletes, and morels. While hiking in France and on Victoria Island, she showed us where to look for novel mushroom treasures that could not be found at home. She taught us how to make intricate dinners consisting of at least five courses and emphasized that cooking should be a whole family affair. She hosted weekend dinner parties, inviting close family friends to discuss the latest papers published in Science. Most of all, Alena enjoyed adventures with family away from home. Some of these adventures took place on the beaches of Maine and Florida. Other times, she drove us through different regions of Europe by car, stopping at locally owned B&Bs for the night and joining the hosting families for evening meals. We miss her vibrant and charismatic personality, and are inspired by her thoughtful, uplifting, selfless, and fearless approach to everything in life. We are grateful for the compassionate and conscientious care provided by the nurses and physicians at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. A private family funeral will be held due to COVID-19. Online condolences may be forwarded through Cardinal Funeral Homes, Bathurst Chapel. If desired, donations can be made to Canadian Blood Services or Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.

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