Born Jan. 19, 1927 in Dublin, Ireland. Died May 9, 2026, in Hamilton, Ontario.
Eveleen McGran died Saturday at the age of 99, survived by her daughter, Audrey, her son-in-law Dave, and her son, Kevin.
She is predeceased by her husband of nearly 70 years, Patrick, as well as her oldest son, Noel, and firstborn daughter, Nuala.
She has six grandchildren (James, Megan, David, Jason, Ellen and Shauna) and nine great-grandchildren (Tyler, Chase, Sapphire, Saya, Mira, Conor and Carson, Cooper and Cole).
Born in the northside Dublin neighbourhood of Cabra, the middle of three sisters (Florrie, Eva), the Whittaker family were extremely practical. The family, for example, kept chickens, which the girls deemed as pets, but their father considered dinner.
Eveleen worked as a seamstress and began a lifelong love of knitting and sewing. She made her own clothes. If you were in her circle, and it was a large one, you were getting an Irish sweater, or cardigan, or mitts, or hat, or maybe a quilt for Christmas. They are treasured now.
She was told by many that her work was of such high quality that she could be rich selling them. She was never interested in that. She knitted for love. You could tell she was happy when she was knitting. An unfinished cardigan was by her bedside when taken to hospital.
Eveleen met Paddy in 1949, at a dance. They married on Dec. 26, 1951, honeymooning in England. Noel came along on Dec. 2, 1952 and Nuala in 1955. Nuala, sadly, died in infancy.
The family emigrated to Canada shortly after, with Audrey born in 1958, Kevin in 1963. The house at 3 Oakridge Dr., in Scarborough, became kind of a halfway house for Irish family and friends immigrating to Canada.
If you were to drop over, the kettle would be on.
She loved to cook. No one made a better Sunday roast, or a ham, or a mince, or a stew. We’ve lost the recipe for her coddle. There were always potatoes. All sorts of potatoes. The Sunday fry after mass. She was Irish, so she could boil vegetables with the best of them.
She loved to bake. Her brown bread, her soda bread, her Christmas fruitcake, her Christmas pudding, her trifles, “favourite cake,” were legendary among the McGrans, Bergins, Dowlings, Slackes, Hickeys, Murphys, Larkins, Ethezes, Da Silvas, Carletons. She made a mean Irish coffee.
She loved her dog, Topsy, more than she’d ever admit. The dog got more of her boiled-egg lunch than she did.
With Paddy, it was a life well lived. A game of cards – the Dublin game of Don was the preferred choice – would get the laughs going. But she was up for anything: Camping at Sibbalds Point, the rustic cottage in Muskoka (without running water), ocean side in New Jersey, frequent trips “home” to Ireland, cruises, the snowbird’s life in Florida. Dinner at Swiss Chalet. They all included family.
She loved the Maple Leafs, but didn’t like going to see them in person. She couldn’t knit at the game, and she couldn’t hear Foster Hewitt calling the game.
She followed the Blue Jays. We’ll never forget where we were when Roberto Alomar hit a franchise-altering home run off Dennis Eckersley in 1992: We were salivating for the Thanksgiving feast she was preparing in their new home in Vineland, Ont.
When the Leafs would make a trade, she’d ask me why it happened. I’d venture to my hockey card collection (there was no internet then) or scan the agate pages of the Toronto Star to explain why it was a good idea to get a young Rick Vaive and Bill Derlago at the cost of Tiger Williams and Jerry Butler. I’m a sportswriter now, probably because of that.
Her legacy will carry on in many ways, in her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and in the many lives she touched.
We love you, Mom. We’ll miss you. You will live in our hearts, always.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam.
For those who are moved to do so, please consider making a donation to Able Living Binbrook, on behalf of both Everleen, and in honor of Jason. A viewing will be held at Turner Family Funeral Home, 53 Main Street, Dundas, on Friday, May 15th, 2026 1 p.m. A mass will follow at 2:00 p.m. For those who are moved to do so, please consider making a donation to Able Living Binbrook, on behalf of both Everleen, and in honor of Jason.
To view Eveleen’s service, please register using the link below: