Nahid Thaiss

Nahid Thaiss (née Shojaee) passed away peacefully on June 4, 2026. Born in Shiraz, Iran in 1936, she had a kind heart and an extraordinary ability to bring people together. Nahid’s adventurous spirit brought her to the beautiful city of Beirut to study Public Health Nursing in the 1960s, and it was here that she met her future husband and life-long partner, Gus.

Nahid’s warmth and hospitality meant that her home was always open to family and friends. She also maintained very close ties to her extended family of sisters, nieces and nephews across the world and, thus, always felt connected to her roots and the memories they shared of growing up in Iran. In Canada, she loved to have her home filled with the laughter of her grandchildren and could always be found making elaborate meals, transforming every family gathering into a beautiful celebration of her heritage and culinary talent. She was also a legendary whiz at board games, and her mastery of backgammon meant that even the most confident challengers were inevitably outmatched.

She was the true anchor for her family. Her legacy of love and light lives on through her husband of 64 years, Gus, her three children and their partners: Laila and Eric, Karl and Antonia, and Mark and Janet, as well as through her nephew, Farshid (Priscilla), who was like a son to her. She also leaves behind six grandchildren who brought endless joy to her life: Jasmine, Peter, Clara, Sophia, Miya, and Ethan.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada: https://www.heartandstroke.ca/how-you-can-help/ways-to-give/give-in-memory 

There will be a Green Burial at Royal Oak Burial Park on Thursday, June 18th at 1:00 pm. The short path to the burial site will be accessible to those using mobility aids. The burial service will be followed by a Celebration of Life at her daughter, Laila’s home.