She was born Lavina Texeira on November 22, 1952 in Khulna, Bangladesh, the fifth of six children in a family of limited means. A creative and free-spirited child, she dreamed of immigrating to Canada and transcending her circumstances. In the build up to the 1971 war between Pakistan and India that created an independent Bangladesh, she met Aziz Haque, then a young officer in the Pakistan Air Force. Their romance was immediate and outside the norms of a society where arranged marriages were predominant and interfaith relationships were not condoned. They married in December of 1971. As part of her commitment to Aziz and his family, she converted to Islam and changed her name to Naheed Haque. She carried that commitment to her extended family and faith from that point forward.


In the aftermath of the war, the two moved to London, England in 1972. There, Naheed gave birth to children Sabrina and Amir in 1973 and 1975 respectively, and helped bring over and raise several of Aziz's nephews and nieces during her stay in London. She developed a particularly deep bond with one of them, Naser Khan, that continued for the next 44 years. Naheed helped orchestrate the family's successful immigration to Canada in 1976 landing in Montreal, Quebec. A dedicated mother and wife, she worked to support and build the family as Aziz furthered his education. Once Aziz finished school, Naheed bolstered Aziz's improbable ascension through the international ranks of Scotiabank on a 20 year adventure that began in Calgary and carried through the Philippines, India, and Malaysia. She was responsible for countless bank-related social functions in ever changing environments - a role she excelled at with her exceptional taste and charm.


While overseas, Naheed picked up two passions that would continue for decades: golf and bridge. Her graceful swing and effortless golf game were the envy of friends and the scourge of her competitors in club tournaments, which she routinely won. Methodical and aggressive, her masterful bridge game was matched only by her humility and willingness to share and teach others the game. Poised, charming, and beautiful she was a quiet but assertive force that touched all who knew her. She built friendships that spanned the globe and continued to her final day including her dearest friend Eva Quiring who visited her from Switzerland multiple times during the final years.


After more than 20 years of international moves, Naheed returned to Canada with Aziz in 1993. Tragedy struck in 1998 when Naheed lost him, the love of her life, to a three-year struggle with lung cancer. In time, Naheed was fortunate to meet Harold Myers, whom she married in 2002. They built a deep friendship, enjoying travel and adventure for the better part of two decades. Naheed lost her dear friend Harold to cancer in September 2017.


Naheed’s children were her proudest accomplishments. She was a dear second mother to Sabrina’s husband, Robert Buren, and was a loving mother-in-law to Amir’s wife Monica. In 2003, Naheed's first granddaughter, Chloe Aziza Buren, was born on Naheed’s own birthday of November 22. This marked the beginning of Naheed's final role, perhaps her proudest and most fulfilling, that of grandmother. Zara Mathilde Buren (2006), Abram Aziz Haque (2013), and Marin Deborah Haque (2017) were the other beneficiaries of her generosity, dedication, and teaching during the last 15 years of her life.


At 1:40 pm on August 31, 2018, Naheed died peacefully in the company of her closest family, overlooking the beautiful gardens of Ian Anderson House hospice in Oakville. The woman who changed her name decades ago stayed constant. She was adamant her disease would not define her, remaining optimistic to the end. Naheed would hope her life was defined simply: a good person who made a difference to many lives, all of whom will miss her dearly.

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Should friends or family desire, memorial contributions can be made to Ian Anderson House hospice http://www.ianandersonhouse.com/donate.html