HERREMA, Audrey Herrema

Passed away March 17, 2026 in Toronto, Canada., born February 28, 1946, in Tzummarum, Friesland, the Netherlands.

She will be deeply missed by her husband George, her son Clayton (Natasha), her stepsons Peter (Darcelle) and Ewan (Amee), and her grandchildren Angus, Asha, Indra, Max, Alex, and George, to whom she was a proud Beppe. Family gatherings at the Herrema farm will not be the same without her and she will also be missed by the extended Herrema family, including nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews. Her commitment to the book library in the milk shed for the next generation remains part of her legacy. Family in Friesland will miss the connection and love she maintained across the ocean, as well as her halting but heartfelt Frisian.

Audrey Herrema came to Canada in 1948 with her mother Ymke, father Wibram, her brother Gerritt and her two sisters Baukje and Klaske. The family worked on farms as they established themselves in Canada and were welcomed by communities in southern Ontario. They quickly learned English and adapted their names to fit their new surroundings. Aukje became Audrey.

A childhood on the farm meant hard work and not always a lot of money. She once summed it up by saying she would never not live within ten minutes of a Becker’s again — and she didn’t. There were also lighter moments. She played Annie Oakley in the fields and baseball with the other kids. Those experiences gave her memories of an idyllic childhood, but she always wanted to see more of the world.

That desire led her to Ottawa, where she worked for the federal government and eventually took a posting in India. She often told stories about watching tigers drink from secluded watering holes by moonlight, and she developed a lasting love of Indian food and culture.

After returning to Canada — via London, where she once attended a party with the Queen — she focused on her education. She earned a bachelor’s degree from York University and a master’s degree from the University of Toronto. Her studies led to a lifelong commitment to adult education and women’s education.

She began her career at Ryerson Polytechnic (now Toronto Metropolitan University), where she helped build programs that encouraged more young women to enter politics and helped mature students return to education. It was also at Ryerson that a random after work drink introduced her to her future husband, George.

She later worked at the University of Toronto and eventually started her own consultancy, allowing her to focus on work she cared about while being her own boss.

In retirement she found community and purpose in Cobourg, Ontario. She was active in the Ganaraska Hiking Trail Association and participated in bridge, book, mahjong, and poker groups. She was also involved with the Canadian Federation of Women’s Clubs, volunteered locally, and supported Amnesty International. Over more than 20 years in Cobourg she built strong friendships and a community that meant a great deal to her. Her garden was an especially important and beautiful part of her life not only in Cobourg (where her garden was featured on the Cobourg Garden Tour) but in each stop along her journey she found time and space to create a place for growing and appreciating plant life. A love of the natural world that came from being raised on a farm never left her.

Audrey was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2020 and refused to let it define her life. She remained determined and positive, committing herself to physiotherapy, medical appointments, voice training, and other treatments. In the end the disease progressed too far, and she chose to pass with MAID, with George and Clayton by her side. A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, April 25 at 12:00 noon at Morley Bedford Funeral Home 159 Eglinton Avenue West, Toronto, ON. For those wishing to watch the Celebration of Life via Zoom, please follow this link: Celebration of Life.

In lieu of flowers a donation to Parkinson Canada is appreciated.

We are stardust

We are golden

And we’ve got to get ourselves

Back to the garden

– Joni Mitchell