908 THE ADVOCATE
VOL. 79 PART 6 NOVEMBER 2021
shared with colleagues and defence counsel. Liz acted as a mentor to many
(including defence counsel new to the Court of Appeal). She cared deeply
about people. She remembered the names of your spouse, kids and dog, and
if you told her a family member was ill, she would always follow up a few
days later to ask how they were doing.
Liz was first diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2017. She endured gruelling
courses of chemo and radiation but returned to work and more importantly
to travel in the fall of 2018. Unfortunately, her cancer returned in the
fall of 2019. She responded to that news with incredible fortitude and
embraced every treatment, including experimental ones, to spend as much
time as possible with Karen, with whom she shared a loving relationship,
which was an inspiration to all who had the great joy of seeing them together.
Each treatment worked for a time. When she was eventually told that her
cancer was shrewdly eluding another new treatment, Liz, in classic fashion,
quipped that if she had to go down, at least it would be to a “smart” cancer.
When Liz was first diagnosed, the Crown, defence bar and court registry
rallied around her, and the support continued through the years. The Run
for the Cure team “Appealing for a Cure” raised thousands of dollars for cancer
research. In October 2020, Liz appeared in a promotional video for The
Run for the Cure to encourage donations to support cancer research, which
played a huge role in her treatment.
Above all, Liz was an exceptional person. She enjoyed an incredibly
happy partnership with Karen for 14 years. Liz was a dedicated daughter
and travelled regularly to Toronto to visit and care for her mother and
father, especially in their final years. She was a great support to her brother
Ron and a wonderful aunt to her niece Emma and nephew Scott in Ontario,
as well as to a number of children of her close friends, who also looked to
Liz as an aunt, a confidant and a role model. She was very proud of all of
the young people in her life. Liz and Karen loved to travel and enjoyed trips
with Liz’s niece and nephew until travel became impossible because of the
global pandemic and Liz’s illness.
In one of her last conversations with a good friend, days before her
untimely death, Liz said, “I’m glad I made an impact.” That was a classic Liz
understatement—she had a massive impact on so many. She had a huge
capacity for love and lived a life of transparency, unbridled will, and commitment
to social, economic and criminal justice. Liz was a dear friend to
many, and she inspired us in her quiet way to live a better life and value
what we have. She will be terribly missed.
Lesley Ruzicka
(with the assistance of many of Liz’s friends)