Remembering Mercedes Bosch Toca

Mercedes – known as “Mer” to her team – was truly one-of-a-kind. While she was organized, articulate, and hardworking, she was also joyful, vibrant, and full of laughter. Her warmth and energy touched everyone she met.

Originally from Mexico City, Mercedes embraced her new life in Vancouver with open arms. She often spoke of her love for this “small village” and the connection to nature it gave her. She quickly became a beloved member of the Ocean Wise family and built strong relationships with partner organizations across the region.

Her impact will be felt for years to come, especially among the young people who experienced the mobile ocean education program she led. Mercedes worked tirelessly to deliver engaging programming, secure funding, and build partnerships that brought ocean conservation to communities across Canada. In 2024, she and the Sea Dome visited Sherbrooke, Nova Scotia, where she shared the story of a town coming together to celebrate World Ocean Day. It was a perfect example of her gift for building community wherever she went. Read more about the day in her own words.

Mercedes, your legacy lives on in the lives you touched and the work you inspired. You will always be in our hearts.

A few memories from some of those who knew and loved her.

“Mercedes was always such a light on the team. She was the embodiment of human sunshine. I worked under her on the Mobile team for a year and through that time she was constantly motivating and supporting the team through the early mornings and long days. When she had to come to every single program with us at the beginning of the year she was always smiling and cheerful. It didn’t matter if it was 6 am or 7 pm she was so happy to be a part of the Mobile team and contribute to the work we did. Whenever there was an issue with the dome or our equipment or the truck, she would always bring it home and say, “I’ll just get Alonso to fix it” I like to think of Alonso, Mercedes’ husband, as an honorary member of the team because of all the handy work he did for us.”

“She was a hugger, not just literally, because every time I saw her, she greeted me with the warmest hugs, but also figuratively. She embraced everyone with kindness, warmth, and acceptance.”

“Mercedes would never let you enter the office without stopping to catch up and bring up an inside joke with you. She built the community in such a seamless way that you could never tell she was orchestrating it, but the proof is in the bonds between every single person she worked with. She was a true leader in our community and a constant shining star on our team.”

“In every conversation there was the passion about her job and how much she loved it.  What she had just done or the upcoming excitement for an event and her team.  Her loyalty and love for her work, her team and Ocean Wise was her priority in every call.”

“Mercedes was an incredible role model for me, as an educator, a leader, and a wonderfully caring person. From my very first day at Ocean Wise, Mercedes was there with a warm welcome and endless encouragement, as she showed me what it takes to make Mobile Education happen. The success of our program is owed to her brilliant mind and deep passion for connecting people with the ocean. I am very grateful that I got the chance to work alongside Mercedes. She was truly inspiring and will be greatly missed.”