Marc Podell

Marc Jeffrey Podell

October 5, 1950 – July 4 2024

Mississauga, Ontario

 It Is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Marc Jeffrey Podell who left us suddenly and peacefully on July 4th at Trillium Mississauga Hospital.

 Marc Grew up in Toronto attending high school at Bathurst Heights Collegiate and the University of Toronto for his Bachelor of Science degree. Marc then travelled to Morelia, Mexico to get his degree in medicine at the University of Michocan and then later attended Guy’s Hospital in London, England to complete his post graduate studies in surgery. He also spent some time in Amazon Jungle learning about non-traditional medicines. His many years of education in the medical field lead him to work for many years as a surgeon at Trillium Hospital and St. Joseph’s Health Centre.

 As a devoted father, he leaves behind his beloved son Daniel Podell, his brother Randall Podell, and his sister Karen Placey. He also leaves his ex-wife, Anamaria Torres, his brother and sister in-laws, Patrick and Gloria Desmoulins, his nieces, Erin, Mellissa and Jenna; as well as his cousins Dr. Brent Lewis and Allan Lewis. Patrick and Lilly Liao, Connie Torres and Vicki Liang are also some of his lifelong friends that played a very important role in his life that he also leaves behind.

 Marc lead a long life filled with many interests, passions and so many adventures that it would be impossible to list them all; if you were to name any adventure, he probably did it! When he was younger, he enjoyed sailing competitively, playing tennis, skiing and long distance running, which brought him to compete in the Boston Marathon. His love of tennis continued into his later years, to the point where he was still playing tennis fairly regularly until his passing and his love of skiing forced him to travel to be able to ski some of the best mountains in the world; such as, all the best resorts in British Colombia, Chile, Argentina and even going as far as Hokkaido, Japan. Marc also loved animals and over the years had many dogs, parrots, cockatiels, and even had a monkey at one point; who became very famous in the neighborhood. A few other hobbies that he picked up over the years included collecting antiques, inventing, being a handy man around the house, and taking many gourmet cooking courses, which sparked a passion to always make delicious meals. Most people are already aware of how much he enjoyed travelling around the world. A few months ago, he started planning his third trip to France; showing the fact that he had already travelled to most regions in the world, and that he was already doing repeat trips to some of his favourite countries. Some of the more notable trips that he took over the years include, a road trip across five countries in the southern region of Africa, a tour across China, many house exchange trips across Europe, visiting most of South East Asia, and even an adventure in Papua New Guinea.

 While at U of T, Marc became president of its outdoor club (UTOC) and obtained a grant to build the Kolopore Cross-country ski trails, which are still in use today. As an avid gardener, he invented a device to make planting easier, called the ‘Quick Plant’, which was featured on Dragon’s Den. Many people probably remember some of the many great beach parties and dinners that he threw over the years.

 We would like to thank the EMS team who came to Marc’s rescue, and also extend our gratitude towards Dr. Milosevic, Ben Zettal, Rondah, and the entire ICU team at Trillium Mississauga Hospital for their devoted efforts and compassion that they showed Marc during his stay with them.

 A cremation ceremony will be held Tuesday, July 16th at noon at St. John’s Dixie Chapel; while a celebration of Marc’s life will be held at a later date with details to follow.

 At this time of sorrow, we find comfort in the wonderful memories Marc has left with us. Most importantly, we will miss his humour, spirit, and his love of life. Our memories of him will continue to dwell deep within our hearts and will not be soon forgotten.

 We would like to encourage you to share your favourite stories, memories and pictures (even the silly ones) you might have of Marc in the guestbook section below. Reading through memories and stories of how he impacted his friend’s and family’s life will bring great comfort to those close to him.