88-year-old great-great-grandmother Bernice Fiel was the victim of a hit-and-run in Toronto, Ont., Tuesday, September 29, 2009. (HO)

TORONTO -- Great-great-grandmother Bernice Field was walking home from the bank yesterday when a driver fatally struck her, wiping out one of five generations in her family.

It was one of a variety of errands the recently widowed Field would run just to get out of her Jane St. and Wilson Ave. apartment, 46-year-old granddaughter Cheryl Migliaccio said last night.

"She was so active," Migliaccio said. "She was 88 years old, but with her and her walker, nothing ever stopped her."

Field was standing on the southwest corner of Jane and Wilson, waiting to cross the street just before 11.30 a.m., when a tractor-trailer with "XTRA" on it, turned right from Wilson onto Jane and ran over her, but didn't stop, leaving police to wonder whether the driver even realized someone had been struck.

When the truck cleared, Field was left on the pavement, but her walker was gone.

"She was an amazing woman and I'm glad that I was able to have the years with her," Migliaccio said. "The memories have been wonderful."

While Migliaccio tried to focus on those memories, she couldn't help but think: "What distracted (the driver) that he didn't take the time to check his mirrors ...? How could you not know that, that you hit someone? How could you not know that?"

Field, who was active in her church and "very much involved in the community," lost her husband of more than 50 years to natural causes in February -- something that, while difficult for the family, "sits better" with them than a hit-and-run, Migliaccio said.

Field leaves behind twins, four grandchildren, five great- grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren, as well as a building full of neighbours who she had come to know in just five years of living among them, Migliaccio said.

While she said she isn't angry by what happened, she said she believes her grandmother would want the driver to be held accountable.

"Just acknowledge that you took a life away from a family. That's tragic," she said. "We had five generations until today at 11:30 when she passed away."

At the scene, two shaken witnesses, who only gave their first names -- Carmen and Sam, said they were crossing the street when they saw a woman being hit.

"It happened so fast," Carmen said. "We were trying to get someone to call 911."

Area resident Ejaz Magee said he tries to avoid the intersection because it's too busy.

"It is a dangerous intersection with a lot of traffic (and drivers who) don't like to stop for people," he said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-1900 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-8477.