With profound sadness the family of Naida Wolff announces her passing on April 28, 2024 in Thunder Bay, ON, following a prolonged illness. Many will remember her as a gifted floral artist, the owner of “Naida’s Floral Art” on Simpson Street.
Naida was born February 16, 1940 in Fort Frances, ON to the late Grace (Mudge) & Andrew Matchett of Mine Centre, ON. She attended the one-room school there in Mine Centre & was blessed to be part of a large & extended family in that small community. Surrounded by her family, as well as grandparents, aunts, uncles & cousins, it was there her happy childhood years were spent & her life-long passion with flowers began. Mine Centre was always home to Naida, regardless of where she lived.
In 1956, Naida & Bert Fults were married; 2 daughters were born; later she married Joseph Wolff and they made their home together in Thunder Bay, where she spent the rest of her life.
Her artistic talent & great love of flowers led her to graduate from the Chicago School of Floral Art in the early 1960’s & the floral business became her passion. She opened her own flower shop in Thunder Bay & became a well-known & respected designer throughout the area. As time went on, her business expanded to include a Bridal Service & she has never forgotten each & every one of “her brides” & the colours each chose for their wedding. In later years, as the flower business waned, her endeavours evolved to include antiques & collectibles, but following a serious accident she suffered in 2000, her time at her Shop was drastically reduced & due to ill health she reluctantly was forced to retire.
Naida was a collector - not only of material things but friends as well, as she was truly a “people person”. She may also be remembered as somewhat of a “character” who befriended & tried to help various people with needs she perceived as greater than her own. She had a compassionate love of animals. Her interests were varied & included a life-long study of the world’s religions, history & poetry. She loved all things from the bush where she would hunt for flora & fauna she knew so well. She knew where to find the fiddleheads, trilliums, lady slippers, violets & other wild flowers, which kept her in touch with the inner child of her Mine Centre roots. She was an incredibly knowledgeable person, a great reader & very articulate. Each day she made it a point to learn something new & she had a keen wit & sense of humour.
Left to mourn her passing & cherish her memory are daughter Grace (Fults) Wolff; son Grant M. Wolff of Banff, Alberta; grandchildren David, Sally & Vance Gushulak of Comox, BC; son-in-law Kenneth Murphy & grandchildren Kyle & Keenan Murphy of Edmonton, AB.
She will be sadly missed & lovingly remembered also by her sisters & their families: Cora Schorsch of Chicago, Ill; Marilyn Bell (Ivan) of Fort Frances, ON; Carol Booth (Jack) of Devlin, ON. She will be remembered by nieces, nephews, sisters-in-law, cousins, as well as a host of friends she gathered along her way in life.
Predeceasing her was her younger daughter Diane Fults Murphy; beloved husband of 40 years, Joseph Wolff; Bert Fults; parents Andrew & Grace; siblings Lois Babcock, Larry Thompson, Carl, Vernon & Lindsay Matchett, Lillian Schmelzie; brothers-in-law Albert Schorsch, Ivan Bell, Frank Babcock, John Wolff, son-in-law David Gushulak; nephews Michael Bell & Clay Flinders; mother-in-law Colette Wolff, father-in- law Frederick Wolff.
In accordance with Naida's wishes, no funeral service will be held. Cremation has taken place; she wished her final resting place to be with her beloved mother in the family plot in the Riverview Cemetery, in Fort Frances, ON.
Naida had a passionate love of life. She did not go gentle into that good night.
DO NOT GO GENTLE INTO THAT GOOD NIGHT
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rail at close of day,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightening, they
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Dylan Thomas
Welsh Poet
Condolences may be made through www.nwfainc.com
