Eva Maria Michalak

Eva Maria Michalak

1946 – 2026

Suddenly, tragically, Eva passed away Wednesday April 15. She was admitted to hospital after suffering unexpected distress, and could not rally. Her death was mercifully quick.

Eva is survived by her brother Stan, sisters-in-law Sybil and Leslie, nieces Christy and Marnie, grand-nieces Maya and Alina, and a host of cousins and relations in Poland. She was pre-deceased by her father – Stefan, brother – Mark, and mother – Maria.

Born in Zgorzelec, Poland, Eva, or Ewa in Polish, was the firstborn of Stefan and Maria at a time when the world was still suffering the effects of World War II. If she was the promise of a bright future for the couple, it would be some time before that promise would be fulfilled. At the time when Maria was pregnant with her second child (soon to arrive as Ewa’s brother Marek – or Mark), Stefan had to flee Poland or risk being imprisoned or worse by the occupying Soviets.

Fast-forward nearly 10 years and we find Maria at the pier in Halifax with two children in tow: Ewa and Marek. Finally free of the Soviet regime, Maria hopes to reunite the children with their father who is living in Saskatchewan. Ewa and her brother will have to start a brand new relationship with a man they do not know. A year later, they welcome a third child to the family: Stanley – the first Canadian-born.

When Ewa was a student at Sacred Heart Academy in Regina, she was pulled aside from choir practice one day and told that she had a future as a singer. She pursued that dream – with a vigour. When the family moved to Winnipeg, Ewa attended the University of Manitoba’s School of Music. In the years it took to obtain her various degrees, Ewa continued with her vocal coaching, and managed to land a job with the CBC. Ewa was part of the cast of Hymn Sing – one of the CBC’s longest running TV shows. Ewa stayed with the show for five years, and when she had completed all the education she could get in Winnipeg, she headed for Toronto and the Royal Conservatory of Music where she forged ahead. With a new vocal coach, Ewa began to flourish as an operatic singer, taking part in performances and singing wherever she would be welcome, such as Humbercrest United Church where she joined the choir and collaborated with accomplished musicians and composers Mary Gardiner and Eric Robertson.

Ewa had a lovely soprano voice. While still young and not fully matured, her voice showed the promise of performance at a high level. All it would take was the will to devote the years necessary to ripen her instrument. Proficient in French, Italian and German, her stage roles and recitals were inspiring.

Just as her recent passing has shown us, fate can step in and be benevolent or cruel. Ewa developed issues in her throat as well as a hyper-sensitivity to allergens and chemical products. When she went in for throat surgery, there was doubt whether she would be able to continue singing at her level. It was not to be. Her professional singing career was over.

Being the determined daughter of Maria, who had survived two years in a Nazi concentration camp, Ewa rallied and redirected her energy to a professional career. She found it in the insurance business, at first with Crown Life, then others, before concluding her career as a compliance manager for NN Financial and Aegon Canada.

Ewa was a student of philosophy, and thought a lot about the universe and our place in it. She was an odd mix of the dreamy artist and the harsh realist, stubborn and wilful in public, deeply emotional in private. She inherited brutal honesty from her mother, and it often led to misunderstandings and hurt feelings, but she also got her musical talent from Maria along with strength and determination to fight on against impossible odds. She inherited her artistic side from her father, but also his temper and impatience. She did not suffer fools, and was often accused of trying too hard to be perfect. She was intelligent, but scattered, with a terrible sense of direction. If you were her true friend, she would stop a bullet for you. And, her devotion to family and the things she loved was absolute.

Her reconnection with extended family in Poland was epic. She made several trips and hosted family in her Toronto home. She was re-discovered by her kin, and was always the centre of attention when she sought out her family in her birth country.

A celebration of Ewa’s life will be held soon at an as yet unspecified date, time and place. Her wishes were that she be cremated, and that has occurred.

She had many passions in her life: The Chopin Society of Canada, The Etobicoke Camera Club, The Royal Conservatory of Music to name a few. Your contributions to these programs in her memory would be welcome.

Ewa: May her memory be a blessing.