Obituary of Elizabeth Tobias Unterhoffer

It is with saddened hearts that we share the news of our mother’s passing… Elizabeth “Erzsike” Tobias Unterhoffer (aka Mom, Anu, Nagymama, Grandma and Citunéni), on Thursday, April 9, 2020 due to Chronic Kidney Disease Failure after many years of battling type 1 Diabetes as well as Parkinson’s disease at the age of 80. Elizabeth was born on November 15, 1939 in Budapest, Hungary, living in a small quaint bungalow style row house with her mother, 6 sisters and 3 brothers. At the age of 16, during the 1956 Hungarian Revolution/Cold War, she left Hungary on foot to Switzerland where she married her husband (Jozsef Unterhoffer) as they decided to start a better life for themselves here in Canada. They came to Montreal by boat and first lived in Toronto, then Ottawa and a few years later, they built their home in Touraine (Riviera), Quebec currently known as Gatineau. With limited English in her vocabulary, and a background of a shoemaker, jobs were hard to come by. She stayed home and took care of her children and then happily she began working as a Hostess/Cashier in a government Cafeteria which then evolved into running her own little canteen for many years which both were in Tunney’s Pasture where she was well respected and liked by all. Mom was very much family oriented, she loved music, hockey in particular (the Ottawa Senators), dancing, Wii Bowling, Cards/Board Games and sharing laughs and a 17-year companionship with her friend Tom. Our mother, was a witty, social and a kind individual to all who were around her. In the long–term care residence she lived in, her nurses loved to spend time with her each day and always complimented her with kindness and shared many laughs. Our mother was a strong, selfless woman with her 57-year battle of diabetes, with constant diabetic feet pain, blindness and lack of hearing that took grave control over her especially in her last weeks along with not being able to see her family during this pandemic which sat heavily on her heart. Yet, she always smiled and stated not to worry about her. She will now be resting without pain and discomfort as she will now be rejoined with her late husband of 64 years. With all our love from her 3 children, Gabor, Jozsef (late Mary-ann), Silvia (Wayne) and her grandchildren; Chrissie (Tim), Eric (Tina), Kimberly, Kyle, and Justin. As well as her great-grandchildren Mason, Lucas, Leonidas, and Alexandros. She will be missed terribly. Due to this pandemic, a Celebration of her life and services will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers we are asking that donations be made to Diabetes Canada Foundation.