Voynova remembered for her "quiet strength"

Neale McDevitt

The McGill community is still in mourning over the tragic death of one of its own, Mila Voynova who was found shot to death along with her two daughters in their Beaconsfield home on October 14. The three were slain by Dragolub Tzokovitch, Voynova's husband and the girls' father, who is recovering in hospital after turning his gun on himself.

A graduate of the kinesiology and physical education department, Voynova had been teaching yoga and pilates to McGill staff and students for several years. "Mila only worked a few hours a week here, but she made a big impact," said Jill Barker, assistant manager of recreation and fitness and Voynova's former kinesiology teacher. "The outpouring of grief over her death has been incredible."

But Voynova's friends, colleagues and students want to remember the life and, in Barker's words, "the quiet strength" of this loving mother and teacher. Recently, the members of Voynova's pilates classes were asked how she should be remembered. Among the suggestions were a memorial bench outside the sports centre, and that a service be held toward the end of November. Barker says that these options and several others are being looked at, including holding free yoga and pilates classes. "Mila would have liked that."