Obituary of Isobel Mary Theresa Workman

The family of Mary Theresa Isobel Workman is heartbroken to announce that she passed away at the age of 97 at Guelph General Hospital on March 21, 2026.

Isobel was born in Sherbrooke, Quebec, on December 17, 1928. She was the daughter of Fabiola Dionne and Austin Workman and the second of three sisters, Margaret Goyette and Shirley Paisley. Isobel spent much of her childhood in Sherbrooke until the family moved to the Royal York Hotel in Toronto for a brief period of time as Austin completed work for the Canadian Pacific Railway. They then moved to Montreal, where she lived for many decades. Isobel was married in 1954 and raised two children, Susan and Tom, on her own. She worked at McCullogh’s for many years as a secretary. While working full-time, Isobel enrolled at Loyola College (Concordia University) in the part-time Bachelor of Commerce program, earning her degree in 1967. Isobel was the first female graduate in this part-time program. It is one of many examples of her resilience and perseverance during her lifetime. She then went on to work for many years as both a teacher and vice-principal at a large Montreal high school.

In her early 60s, Isobel met and married Charles Pisacano, an American from New York, as her dad had been. They moved to Bonita Springs, Florida, and enjoyed many years of sunshine and warmth in their seniors’ park.

In 2013, at the age of 84, Isobel moved to Guelph to be closer to family. She was happy to be within walking distance of many of us, but not quite as happy to live in Ontario. Mom’s lifelong interests included bridge, tennis, reading, and theology. She was a devout Catholic all her life.

Isobel is survived by her daughter, Susan Grimes (Lou), and her son, Thomas DeVan. She will be missed by her grandchildren, Jennifer Grimes (Randy), Jeffrey Grimes (Jennifer), Joanne Dalziel (Rod), Nicholas DeVan (Chantal), Christopher DeVan (Stephanie), and her great-grandchildren, Benjamin Grimes, Quinn Grimes, Kayleigh Dalziel, James Dalziel, Cole DeVan, and Wesley DeVan.

She is predeceased by her spouses and her great-grandson, Samuel Grimes (2011).

A Memorial Mass will be held at Holy Rosary Parish, 175 Emma St. Guelph, on Friday, April 10th at 10:30a.m. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation.