Noteworthy
Celebrating the Generosity of a Toronto Style Icon
In 2011, Gloria Sharp, then 67, was featured as one of “Toronto’s 12 most stylish people” by Toronto Life magazine. Gloria’s style credo was “stay true to your own self-image, but at the same time, be brave enough to experiment.” This was reflected in her personal style, which she described as “timeless, with a little frivolity.”
In 2017, at age 73, Gloria was featured again, this time by CBC Life, as one of the seven most stylish Torontonians in a piece called “Better with Age: The Refined Look of 7 Canadians with Style in Their Blood”. Though Gloria trained as a registered nurse in Montreal, she was always interested in fashion. She worked at Holt Renfrew on Bloor Street for more than 25 years, including a role as a Marni sales specialist. She adored the late Issey Miyake and Oscar de la Renta, two of the most iconic fashion designers in the world, and she believed in quality fabrics and investment pieces over gimmicks and trends.
Gloria expressed her passion for art not only through her sartorial choices but also through the art forms that she enjoyed in her spare time. She regularly attended performances of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Canadian Opera Company, and The National Ballet of Canada. It was, therefore, no surprise that she left a generous bequest in her will to the TSO, one of her favourite charities. Tom Jensen, her younger brother, remarked, “Music meant a lot to my sister. It was a great part of her life.”
The TSO’s performance on June 1, 2024, was dedicated to Gloria Sharp’s memory and generosity. Tom and his wife, Greta, flew in from Newfoundland and Labrador to attend the concert along with friends and estate trustees John A. McLennan and Zuzana Vyskocil, and Gloria’s friend and colleague from Holt Renfrew, Cory Davidson. The evening was a fitting tribute to a generous donor who graced Toronto with elegance during her lifetime and was celebrated with style.
—
If you have already included the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in your will or estate plans, or would like suggested wording for your will, please contact Emelita Ervin, Senior Development Officer, Legacy Giving, at eervin@TSO.CA or 416.595.4295.