In her ninety-seventh year; born in São Romão, S. Brás de Alportel,
Portugal; beloved wife of Anibal (died 1999).
In 1961 Adelina and her husband, Anibal, packed up their two young
daughters, took a six hour taxi ride from their beloved Algarve home to
Lisbon, and, seeking a better life, boarded a Canadian Pacific flight
from Lisbon to Toronto. From Toronto they journeyed north to Elliot Lake.
Anibal went underground to mine uranium for Dennison Mines and Adelina,
with very limited English, worked in the hospital laundry. They worked
hard and studied hard. With much improved English, Adelina became a ward
clerk. Her gardening skills were on great display in the garden on
Central Avenue. With retirement came a move back to the Algarve and the
retirement she and Anibal had dreamed of. Anibal's poor health and all
too early death shattered that dream. Adelina lived in her house in São
Romão, worked from sun up until dark, and aged gracefully surrounded by
friends she had known since childhood. She spent many years traveling
between Portugal and Canada. Well into her eighties she would still step
off the top of a ladder on to the fig tree to get a fruit that thought
itself safely out of her reach. In her nineties, she came back to Canada
to live in the homes of her two daughters. Her greatest joy of these
years was her great grandchildren-a mutual love wonderful to behold.
Mother of Graziela Mendes (Orlando) and Leonor Mariano (J Michael Essex)
Beloved Vovó of Jennifer Melo (Steven), Robert Mendes (Darlene), and Diana
Mendes Step Vovó of Michael W. Essex (Vanessa Rampersad) and Jennifer
Essex (Starleen Fisher) Beloved bisavó of Julie and Emilie Mendes, and
Lucas, Jacob, and Daniel Melo.
The family would like to thank the staffs of the day programs in
Scarborough and Guelph and the staff of the St. Joseph's (Guelph)
palliative care unit for their care and compassion.
As expressions of sympathy, donations to the Alzheimer Society or to the
St. Joseph's Health Centre Foundation would be appreciated by the family.
Donation cards are available at the Gilbert MacIntyre & Son Funeral Home,
Dublin Chapel 252 Dublin St. N., Guelph, 519-822-4731 or online.