DIDO BLUMBERG 1939-2024

Dido Blumberg, of Neustadt, Ontario, passed away with her twin sons Clark and Glen, and sister Elsa by her side, at the Hanover & District Hospital, Hanover on Wednesday, August 14, 2024. She was 85.

Born in Drama, Greece on March 19, 1939, to the late Demetrios and Maria Vassilliadou. Beloved wife of the late Aivars John Blumberg (1933-2011).

Sister to Elsa Siozou and Marianna Onasoglou (Athens, Greece). Loving mother of twin brothers Clark Blumberg (retired Air Canada Express Engine Specialist) of Pemberton, BC and Captain (retired) Glen Blumberg CD (Canadian Forces Decoration) of Neustadt, ON. Adoring grandma to Dr. Mindy Blumberg (Optometrist), Alexander Ben Blumberg (Electrician), Carly Blumberg RN, April Blumberg BA and Great Grandmother to baby Adeline. Dido was loved dearly by her family, in-laws, nieces, nephews and many close friends.

Dido was born into WWII and after the Greek Resistance killed a Nazi General the men of her village had to flee to avoid execution. The family went into hiding in the city of Thessaloniki. She lost her father who had survived military service in the Greek Artillery during the fighting to defend Greece from the German Army on the Metaxas line only to die in a tragic bus accident when Dido was very young. 

Following the war, in her youth, Dido was an accomplished competitive swimmer and member of the Greek National Swim Team. Greece, the founder of the Olympic Games, competed in every Summer Games, However, due to the austerity of the war torn country, they could only afford to send 48 athletes to the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland. All 48 were male athletes and none were swimmers. Later under General Eisenhower’s sponsorship, an Olympiad was held in Greece. It included women athletes. At age 14, Dido won the Silver Medal in the 100m Backstroke swimming competition.

In 1957 to begin a new promising life in Canada, Dido at the age of 18 chaperoned her younger niece and nephew, Katia and Tino, they flew to join their family in Toronto’s Greek town (Danforth area) This was before the Jet age and she flew overseas aboard “prop-jobs” an Olympic Airways Douglas DC-4 to Paris and then on an Air France DC-6 flight to Montreal via Gander and NYC.

After arriving in Canada, she fell in love, married Aivars (from Riga, Latvia) and raised a family in Toronto and Mississauga. Dido was a working mother and was employed in many jobs during her long career, eventually graduating from Humber College’s Administrative Assistant Program. She worked for Holiday Juice in Mississauga, Ken Silas Real Estate in Toronto, Gilbey’s Gin in Oakville and Loto Canada until her retirement.

She had an amazing life with her loving family, enjoying their cottage, motor boating and water skiing at Horseshoe Lake in the Parry Sound district and their property in Florida. She travelled widely and made many trips to Europe and her native Greece. She enjoyed flying especially in the family’s light aircraft with her private pilot husband at the controls. They happily lived many adventures.

Dido loved music and dance and was a member of a belly dance troupe for many years and performing for many celebrations in Toronto, Mississauga and Brampton.

Together with Aivars they retired at Cranberry Village in Collingwood and spent twenty years together there. She cared for Aivars for several years while he battled sickness until sadly he passed away.

Dido fully embraced her life after that. She moved to Neustadt where her son Glen built her a cottage on the adjoining lot. She loved her adventures travelling with her sons and sisters; and was very close to her loving sister Elsa. Dido also was very close to Marina, her longtime friend and daughter in law who was always there for her.

She was happy to be neighbours with her son for ten years. Glen always took great care of her and built her house, and together they had many fun times in her garden, gazebo (BBQ), and swimming pool. Clark visited frequently and lent a hand. Together, they had many great times with family and friends. Dido also befriended neighbours Diane and Bob Litche and Vernon Bellanger.

Dido was a force to be reckoned with, and she will be greatly missed by all her friends and family. We encourage you to enjoy life and sip from a glass of wine as Dido would do, love your family and embrace life as fully as Dido did.

On Sunday, 22, September, In the Greek tradition of the “Forty-Days” casual memorial services will be held at the Chapel in Agatriad, Greece, Pemberton BC and Toronto Ontario so we can all join in prayer for Dido from across Canada and in her beloved Greece. In Toronto, this service will be held at 220 Greyabbey Trail, Scarborough at 3pm.

Cremation has taken place, so Glen will at a later date arrange for the burial of her ashes and hold a graveside vigil at the Hanover Cemetery where Dido’s Neustadt friends and neighbours can attend instead of the celebration in Toronto. The date and time will be given in due course.

Memorial donations to the War Amps.