BIOGRAPHY

Tilly Oslender was born in Haisyn, Vinnytsia Oblast, Ukraine (then Russian Empire), on 24 March 1907. Tilly’s father was a bookkeeper, and her mother passed away when Tilly was just two years old, likely due to complications from pregnancy. Her father remarried, and she grew up with four siblings—three sisters and one brother—as well as two stepsisters.

At the age of 22, Tilly’s maternal sister, Celia, brought her to Canada, helping her escape the turmoil of the Russian Revolution. Tilly hoped to bring the rest of her family to Canada, but they insisted on coming together. Determined to make it happen, she worked tirelessly as a finisher in a garment factory on Spadina, earning just $3 per week to save for their passage. However, by the time she had saved enough, the government closed immigration, and she lost all her hard-earned money. As a result, the rest of her family remained in Ukraine and Russia. Fifty years later, Tilly, along with her sister Celia and her daughter Roslyn, returned to visit their relatives. Not long after, her brother and his wife made the journey to Toronto to reunite with her.

Tilly’s husband, Jack Oslender (1905–1990), was born in Odessa, Ukraine, and immigrated to Canada in his twenties. They married in 1935. The couple had one daughter, Roslyn. Jack developed emphysema, likely due to years of smoking and exposure to paint fumes. Tilly cared for him tirelessly at home, day and night. They shared a happy and loving marriage that lasted over 55 years.

An exceptional Bridge player, Tilly enjoyed the game until cataracts prevented her from playing. She co-founded the Forest Hill Library Friendship Club Bridge group alongside then-librarian Kay Gardiner, who later became a Toronto city councillor. At its peak, the club had over 80 members, and Oslender served as its president for 25 years. A lover of music, she especially enjoyed the melodies at her neighborhood synagogues. She frequently attended Holy Blossom’s music program for seniors and regularly joined her daughter at Beth Tzedec services.

Oslender passed away at the Mt. Sinai Hospital in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on 1 June 2019, at the age of 112 years, 69 days.

RECOGNITION

Her age has not been validated.

ATTRIBUTION

* “Amazing, Funny, Fabulous … ” – Beth Tzedec Bulletin, April 2019

* “Even at 112 years old, Tilly Oslender was still living life to the fullest” – The Canadian Jewish News, 6 June 2019

* Tilly Yasny Oslender – Find A Grave

GALLERY