SALMON, Beverley Coel Salmon

SALMON, Beverley Coel  –  O.C., O.Ont., PhD.  Known in the community as a trailblazer, activist and community leader, Beverley Salmon passed away peacefully, on July 6, 2023, at age 92.

To her family, extended family, and a multitude of friends, Bev was known as a loving, kind, graceful, warm, compassionate, and intelligent woman.

Bev was a social justice warrior. Her career began as a nurse graduating from Wellesley Hospital class of 1953 with the distinction of Most Outstanding Nurse.

While she had not practiced for many years, Bev has “mothered” and “nursed” countless people facing difficulties and personal problems over the years.

She broke ground becoming Toronto’s first black municipal councillor serving as an elected official for 12 years. She was a mentor, advisor and key contributor on many Council committees, and organizations including the Urban Alliance on Race Relations and the Ontario Human Rights Commission.

Beverley is survived by her children, Warren Salmon, Heather Regal Salmon (and Donald Regalmuto), and Leslie Salmon Jones (and Jeffrey W. Jones); and her grandchildren, Caitlyn Salmon, Shakarri Salmon, Tyler Boffa Salmon, Jordan Boffa Salmon and Sierra Salmon; her sister, Marjorie Sorrell; sister-in-law, Kaaren Bell (wife of David); and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her father, Herbert McLean Bell; mother, Violet Bell; husband, Dr. John Douglas Salmon; eldest son, Dr. John Douglas Salmon, Jr.; and siblings, Herbert Bell, Dr. David V.J. Bell, and Rena Jones. 

Visitation: York Funeral Home, 160 Beecroft Rd., North York, ON M2N 5Z5, July 18th and 19th, 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. each day Service: St. John’s York Mills Anglican Church, 19 Don Ridge Drive, Toronto, July 20th, 11 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her honor to: Dr. John Douglas Graham Salmon Award for Black Medical Students, c/o The Governing Council of the University of Toronto, 21 King’s College Circle, Toronto, ON M5S 3J3.