In loving memory of
Elwy Mohamed El-Gazzar
September 16, 1943 - March 9, 2021
Elwy Mohamed El-Gazzar
September 16, 1943 - March 9, 2021
We would like to express our gratitude and appreciation for the outpouring of love and prayer that we have received over the last few days. Two sentiments have definitely resonated when it comes to describing our beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend. Kind and gentle.
Elwy, Pappy, Giddu was truly the kindest and gentlest soul.
He was a great role model to us all. He consistently showed love and devotion to his family and friends. He stood alongside members of his community whenever they needed his support. He dedicated himself to his career with limitless conviction. Through his determination for life, he found the motivation and perseverance to fight his illness with incredible strength over the years.
Elwy, Pappy, Giddu was truly the kindest and gentlest soul.
He was a great role model to us all. He consistently showed love and devotion to his family and friends. He stood alongside members of his community whenever they needed his support. He dedicated himself to his career with limitless conviction. Through his determination for life, he found the motivation and perseverance to fight his illness with incredible strength over the years.
For those of you who had the opportunity of spending time with Elwy, you knew that his presence in a room created a sense of comfort and contentment for those around him. We were all able to reach out to him and seek that comfort when we needed it. We will miss this dearly.
Elwy believed in dedicating himself to helping others, especially those in need. To honour this, for anyone motivated to donate to a cause in his memory, please consider donations to Islamic Relief Canada or The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation.
Elwy believed in dedicating himself to helping others, especially those in need. To honour this, for anyone motivated to donate to a cause in his memory, please consider donations to Islamic Relief Canada or The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation.
Family of Elwy El-Gazzar
I met Elwy for the first time about 9 years ago and had the chance to talk with him on and off through the following years. He made a deep impression as someone very wise and caring.
My sincere and deepest condolences for your loss.
I and many others I know will miss his sunny disposition and outgoing nature. He was a great colleague and had a profound impact on the many people he came in contact with over the years.
My sincere and deepest condolences for your loss.
I and many others I know will miss his sunny disposition and outgoing nature. He was a great colleague and had a profound impact on the many people he came in contact with over the years.
A mentor, a leader and a teacher. His advice and his guidance are immortal. The warmness and the cheerfulness of his help will never be forgotten. Rest in peace.
I had the opportunity to work with Elwy at the City of Toronto. He was kind, giving of his time, and a patient and talented teacher. My sincere condolences to his family and friends.
I had the opportunity to meet and work with Elwy at the City of Toronto and sometimes the special pleasure of sitting with him on the gotrain for our commute to or from work. When you meet Elwy you just know that this is someone who is very wise, warm and kind. He loved to share his thoughts and ideas and was equally interested in hearing from the people around him. He was incredibly special and I will be deeply missed. Virtual hugs and condolences to his family and friends.
I was deeply saddened by hearing the news of Elwy's passing.
I was privileged to work beside Elwy at the City of Toronto and to be exposed to his profound knowledge and teaching experience.
What an incredibly humble, soft-spoken and caring human being - and that radiant, warm welcoming smile will be something I will forever remember.
My thoughts and prayers go to his family in this challenging time.
I was privileged to work beside Elwy at the City of Toronto and to be exposed to his profound knowledge and teaching experience.
What an incredibly humble, soft-spoken and caring human being - and that radiant, warm welcoming smile will be something I will forever remember.
My thoughts and prayers go to his family in this challenging time.
I had the honour of working with Elwy at the City of Toronto. Elwy was a kind and gentle soul who was always willing to help you with anything that came your way. His focus on excellent public service, serving our customers and partnership were a tribute to the amazing person that he was. I would like to extend my deepest condolence to his family and friends for their loss. Elwy was an amazing person that had a tremendous impact on those that he met and worked with. He will be missed.
I was very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with Elwy in 2019 on a mutual project at the City of Toronto. He was a wonderful person, who was always willing to teach, coach and collaborate with other. This news saddens me, and I wish to convey my deepest condolences to his family and friends. My thoughts and prayers are with you at this time.
One of the kindest and most humble human beings. His smile would really light up a room and he had a superpower to intrinsically motivate his team.
You were one of the best leaders I've had the privilege to work with, Elwy. You will be missed... A LOT. I hope and pray that you are in a better place now.
My deepest condolences!
You were one of the best leaders I've had the privilege to work with, Elwy. You will be missed... A LOT. I hope and pray that you are in a better place now.
My deepest condolences!
I had the pleasure of working with Elwy, he was a wonderful person and mentor, always smiling and taking the time to listen and help. My deepest condolence to his family and friends. May Allah grant him جنّات الفردوس (jannatul firdaus). (أَن يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ – insha Allah). He will be very much missed.
My heartfelt condolences to the family.
I had the privilege and honor of working with Elwy at the City of Toronto. I would have to say, he was one of the most humble, kind and smartest person I have ever met. He was always willing to share his wisdom and knowledge with those around him. He was a role model, mentor and a father-figure to many of us and we are really grateful to have him being part of our life. His smile really brightened any room he entered and his stories and sense of humor were phenomenal. He will be greatly missed. The wisdom and memories of Elwy will always remain with us.
I had the privilege and honor of working with Elwy at the City of Toronto. I would have to say, he was one of the most humble, kind and smartest person I have ever met. He was always willing to share his wisdom and knowledge with those around him. He was a role model, mentor and a father-figure to many of us and we are really grateful to have him being part of our life. His smile really brightened any room he entered and his stories and sense of humor were phenomenal. He will be greatly missed. The wisdom and memories of Elwy will always remain with us.
My sincere condolences to all of his family. I have had the honor to work with Elwy at City of Toronto and it was one of the greatest experiences of my career. Elwy had been the most amazing mentor, manager and the kindest person I have ever met. He helped me grow both professionally as well as personally and was always there to help me work through any issue. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered.
My sincere condolences to the family. While there was a big span in ages of the people he worked with & oversaw, Elwy was respected by everyone. He took the time to mentor people and was a source of insight even for the more seasoned, such as me. Elwy will be missed.
We would like to offer our heartfelt condolences to Samia, Maha, Nadine and the extended El-Gazzar family for your tremendous loss.
May you find comfort knowing the positive impact Elwy had on the lives of all the people who had the pleasure to know him. He was such a kind man and had such a comforting presence.
Love, Lorien and Zach Goldman and family
May you find comfort knowing the positive impact Elwy had on the lives of all the people who had the pleasure to know him. He was such a kind man and had such a comforting presence.
Love, Lorien and Zach Goldman and family
My deepest sympathies to the family on your loss.
I've had the pleasure of working with Elwy and will miss his quiet confidence and wisdom.
I am so sorry for your loss and hope that your wonderful memories of him will bring you peace and comfort.
I've had the pleasure of working with Elwy and will miss his quiet confidence and wisdom.
I am so sorry for your loss and hope that your wonderful memories of him will bring you peace and comfort.
My sincere condolences to all of his family. I had the privilege of working for Elwy at the City. I have learned so much from him professionally. More than that, I will miss his smile which would light up any room he stepped into. His kind and gentle presence was felt by everyone he interacted with. Elwy will be missed dearly.
Elwy, was the most kindest and warm person, I have recently met. He was my manager, guide and always there to help you. My sincerest condolences to his family and friends. He will always be with us by way of his teachings and warmth.
I had the opportunity not only to work with Elwy in the same team but he was one of my first instructors here at the City. He was always supportive, kind and very generous with his time. He was respected and admired by so many people within the City.
Please accept my heartfelt condolences to your family, friends and loved ones. Elwy will be dearly missed as he was such a huge part of our team and work community. May he rest in peace.
My sincere condolences for your loss.
I had the privilege of working with Elwy at the City of Toronto.
He was the consumate professional and a model of grace and understanding. Truly an experienced practitioner in his area of core competence.
However, it is his infectious smile and warm personality that will always stand out to me. He had the ability to bring positivity to any situation, many times without saying a word.
Elwy will be sadly missed but his rich legacy will live on.
I had the privilege of working with Elwy at the City of Toronto.
He was the consumate professional and a model of grace and understanding. Truly an experienced practitioner in his area of core competence.
However, it is his infectious smile and warm personality that will always stand out to me. He had the ability to bring positivity to any situation, many times without saying a word.
Elwy will be sadly missed but his rich legacy will live on.
I had the pleasure of working in the same team as Elwy, whom I deeply respected for his humbleness, despite his vast knowledge. Elwy had an undeniably powerful presence, that exuded kindness and profound calmness, that I will always remember.
My sincere condolences.
My sincere condolences.
I knew Elwy only for a brief time at the City of Toronto. He taught me a brief one day course that sticks with me to this day. I remember him as being selfless, eager to teach, and with a great positivity to him. He struck me as someone with an intense calmness to himself, and it spoke volumes of the importance of his presence. My condolences for your loss... But know that he impacted many people and made them be better people.
Please accept my deepest condolences for your loss.
Having been fortunate to work with Elwy and learn from him, I will forever miss his smile, his kindness, and his advice. Elwy was a true Gentleman, a great colleague, and a wonderful mentor, we all will miss him dearly.
Rest in peace, Elwy.
Having been fortunate to work with Elwy and learn from him, I will forever miss his smile, his kindness, and his advice. Elwy was a true Gentleman, a great colleague, and a wonderful mentor, we all will miss him dearly.
Rest in peace, Elwy.
I had the opportunity to work with Elwy during my time at the City of Toronto. Elwy always reminded me of the generous and kind fatherly character "Baba Abdou" of the late 70s Egyptian drama that I grew up watching.
Elwy always maintained a generous, kind, encouraging, and supportive demeanor and was always willing to go the extra mile for anyone that worked for him and he will be missed.
My heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.
Elwy always maintained a generous, kind, encouraging, and supportive demeanor and was always willing to go the extra mile for anyone that worked for him and he will be missed.
My heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.
Uncle Elwy was the sweetest, kindest uncle a girl could ever ask for. He brought joy and happiness to all those around him and he will be so dearly missed. I love you Khalo.
Your loving niece,
Dalia
Your loving niece,
Dalia
I had the honor and privilege to work with, work for, and be mentored by Elwy. He had given so much of his time to share his wisdom, and continually support personal and professional growth for many of us. Elwy will forever be remembered and missed.
My deepest condolences!
My deepest condolences!
My dad had a special way of compassionately motivating others to do their best.
His enthusiasm towards his work was palpable and contagious.
He modelled that hard work was a privilege, not a chore.
Through his guidance, I became who I am today, and continue to be inspired to always strive to be better.
I know that each time I accomplish something, I’ll imagine Dad smiling proudly, telling me I’ve done a good job, and giving me a thumbs up.
Thank you, Dad, for being such a strong, supportive father.
I will miss you incredibly.
With the love of a daughter for her father, Nadine
His enthusiasm towards his work was palpable and contagious.
He modelled that hard work was a privilege, not a chore.
Through his guidance, I became who I am today, and continue to be inspired to always strive to be better.
I know that each time I accomplish something, I’ll imagine Dad smiling proudly, telling me I’ve done a good job, and giving me a thumbs up.
Thank you, Dad, for being such a strong, supportive father.
I will miss you incredibly.
With the love of a daughter for her father, Nadine
Thank you for being a truly amazing gidou and giving me so many good memories of learning how to play chess with you.
I love you
-Layla
I love you
-Layla
I had the opportunity and privilege to work with Elwy for the last seven years. He was so giving of his time, talents and wisdom to those around him. He was a genuine and humble person who was curious about the world and the people around him. Elwy made people feel involved, listened to and special. His energy and spirt filled the room; this presence was matched by his courage and strength.
I will miss him, his warm smile and unwavering support. He was admired by many and will be terribly missed. I hope that you can draw strength from the messages on this lovely site over the months and years to come. Please accept my deepest condolences on your loss.
I will miss him, his warm smile and unwavering support. He was admired by many and will be terribly missed. I hope that you can draw strength from the messages on this lovely site over the months and years to come. Please accept my deepest condolences on your loss.
My father will always be a true hero to us all. His courage, strength and positivity in the face of every challenge was truly inspiring.
Pappy's smile was contagious and spread with it a feeling of warmth and comfort that can't be described in words. He was dedicated to our happiness and lived each day striving to be the best father a daughter could ever wish for.
We have learned so much from this wonderful man. From how to treat each other, to how to achieve our goals and dreams. "You can achieve anything if you put your mind to it,"...classic Elwy.
His generosity knew no bounds. His patience had no limits. His love continues to pour over us, even now.
He would be proud to see how we are taking care of one another in our time of need. He would be proud of the strength he has instilled in his grandkids. We are proud to be his family.
He will be missed so dearly, but he is finally at peace.
We hold him in our hearts forever.
His loving daughter,
Maha
Pappy's smile was contagious and spread with it a feeling of warmth and comfort that can't be described in words. He was dedicated to our happiness and lived each day striving to be the best father a daughter could ever wish for.
We have learned so much from this wonderful man. From how to treat each other, to how to achieve our goals and dreams. "You can achieve anything if you put your mind to it,"...classic Elwy.
His generosity knew no bounds. His patience had no limits. His love continues to pour over us, even now.
He would be proud to see how we are taking care of one another in our time of need. He would be proud of the strength he has instilled in his grandkids. We are proud to be his family.
He will be missed so dearly, but he is finally at peace.
We hold him in our hearts forever.
His loving daughter,
Maha
Leave a Tribute
Recent Tributes
I met Elwy for the first time about 9 years ago and had the chance to talk with him on and off through the following years. He made a deep impression as someone very wise and caring.
My sincere and deepest condolences for your loss.
I and many others I know will miss his sunny disposition and outgoing nature. He was a great colleague and had a profound impact on the many people he came in contact with over the years.
My sincere and deepest condolences for your loss.
I and many others I know will miss his sunny disposition and outgoing nature. He was a great colleague and had a profound impact on the many people he came in contact with over the years.
Gallery
Elwy and Samia (beloved wife)
Elwy and Nadine (daughter)
Elwy and Maha (daughter)
Elwy and his grandkids
Elwy with Samia, his sister, his niece and his daughters.
Elwy with his niece and grand niece, Eid 2017
Elwy with his grand niece, 2019
Elwy and his grandkids.
Elwy and Samia with their grand-niece
Recent stories
Thank you Elwy for hiring me & believing in me
Elwy was hands down one of the best leaders I've had the pleasure to work with. They say "when choosing a job, take into account the manager you'd be working with". That is exactly what I did. I had a lot of interviews lined up when I got the offer from City of Toronto but it was a long phone conversation that I had with Elwy after my interview that convinced me to take up the job at the City. During that conversation Elwy quickly established trust through his genuine care and showcasing how much he loves his team and gives them a free hand to learn through experimentation. Failure was an option as long as you are learning & growing under Elwy's leadership. I only had the opportunity to work under his leadership for 6-8 months only but those months were one of the best months of my career where I built great relationships with every team member and Elwy effused a sense of belonging in the BTC team.
Moreover, the one thing I'd never forget is Elwy's contagious smile. No matter how bad of a day you were having...All you had to do was walk over to Elwy's desk and have a 5min chat with him to bring that smile back.
This world just lost a tremendous person, a humble human being and a beautiful smile.
I know there are many who will miss you, Elwy. I hope and pray that you are in a better place now.
Moreover, the one thing I'd never forget is Elwy's contagious smile. No matter how bad of a day you were having...All you had to do was walk over to Elwy's desk and have a 5min chat with him to bring that smile back.
This world just lost a tremendous person, a humble human being and a beautiful smile.
I know there are many who will miss you, Elwy. I hope and pray that you are in a better place now.