Margarete Mrak

With heavy hearts, we announce the peaceful passing of Margarete Mrak on October 30th, just short of her 91st birthday. Margarete, the beloved matriarch of the Mark Motors Group, was a remarkable individual whose legacy will forever be cherished.

Margarete Mrak was born in Braunschweig, Germany, and later embarked on a life-changing journey when she immigrated to Canada in 1958. Throughout her extraordinary life, Margarete was an indomitable spirit who never shied away from hard work and always stood beside her loving husband, Louis Mrak, in building one of Ottawa's largest automotive luxury groups.

Margarete's unwavering dedication to her family and business knew no bounds. Never one to take a “back seat”, she willingly took on diverse roles, from cooking and cleaning to managing the books, ensuring the success of the family run business. Her homemade cakes became legendary, drawing people to Porsche events just as effectively as the cars themselves.

A daily patron of Tim Hortons’ drive thru for coffee and Timbits, her love of watching hockey, no matter the season and of course Formula 1,  Margarete embodied and embraced the Canadian way of life. Her routine was simply “Canadian made”: driving the family to ski hills, frozen ponds, toboggan hills, and summer picnics at Lac Phillipe; Saturday vegetable pick ups at the Farmers Market;  stories of her first Canadian job at the Chateau Laurier and her music and shows at the National Arts Center. 

Margarete was surrounded by those she loved the most, her immediate family. She was the supportive force behind the family business and instilled the highest values and integrity within her children over the years. Her deep commitment to her family set an everlasting precedent. Margarete was the instigator of family traditions, often initiating songs and cheers at the family table, incorporating her German heritage in the process. 

Margaret will be remembered as a woman of immense pride, dignity, and unwavering commitment to her family. She is predeceased by her husband, Louis, and son, Joachim. Margarete is survived by her four loving children, Andreas, Michael (Shirley Kouri), Vincent, and Liza (Gary Zed), as well as her cherished grandchildren and family, Christian, Alexandra, Erich, Sophia, Olivier, Vanessa, Nicholas, Austin, Sabrina, Olivia, Colin and Liam and Fiete. Her family is dedicated to preserving Margarete's values of hard work and respect both within and beyond the family business.

Margarete lived by the motto, "take it as it comes” embracing life with grace and acceptance of people and circumstances. She was also a devoted community member, known for her notable charity and community work to almost every cause in the city. 

The family welcomes friends to pay their respects on Sunday, November 5^th between 1-4 pm and 5-7 pm at Beechwood National Memorial Centre, 280 Beechwood Avenue in Ottawa. A Funeral Service will be held in her honor on Monday, November 6th at 10 am in the Sacred Space of Beechwood National Memorial Centre. Margarete will be deeply missed by her friends, family, and the Ottawa community. The Mrak family extends their heartfelt gratitude to the doctors and staff at Monfort Hospital for their exceptional care of Margarete. A special thank you to Glenys Sundaresan and the caregiver team who provided passionate care and nurturing to Margarete over the past years. 

In lieu of flowers, donations in Margarete's memory can be made to The Dementia Society of Ottawa and Renfrew County. Margarete's legacy of love, dedication, and strength will continue to inspire all who were fortunate to know her. She will forever hold a special place in our hearts.