I first heard of Debora Kuchme as the “Chief Pixie” of the Bayview Pixies, a group of passionate, formidable volunteers working to beautify Leaside’s main shopping area, nearly a decade ago. I had not yet joined the Leaside Life family as editor, but I was thrilled when Debora joined us as “The Leaside Gardener” soon after. Her debut column set the tone with its inspirational and informative message:
“Ah springtime! No other season stirs my imagination with such hope and anticipation. Each day brings fresh sights and sounds as one after another, plants wake up from their long deep sleep to greet us. From the early bursts of tiny bulbs to the explosion of flowering trees and shrubs, spring can open your heart and make you smile. With so many stars, it’s hard to pick a favourite and with so many to mention, it’s pointless because a spring awakening is a celebration of blooms…..all the blooms, when every colour appears cleaner and brighter with the new angle of the sun. This is what spring is in Leaside, a spectacular time of awakening and a time to witness rebirth and renewal at its very best.”
It’s somehow fitting that Debora, whose career began as a noted fashion designer and morphed into so many other creative worlds, died this spring, on May 21. Throughout her time writing for Leaside Life, her writing evolved to embrace wider green interests: invasive plants, balcony gardening, victory gardens, climate change, pollinators, winter harvesting, Leaside’s Garden City principles, and so much more. In her last piece for Leaside Life before her column’s winter break, she asked, during the Don Valley West byelection: “How will our next councillor deal with climate change?”
Hers was a curious mind, ever searching and learning. We were inspired by her wisdom, her passion, her advocacy.
We’ve all lost a dear friend.
