An Exemplary Life – Maria “Mary” D’Souza – and Beloved Aunty
They say it takes all kinds to make up a family, and there are many of the same in each one too, some different, some unique, and so on.
However, every once in a while, a family is graced with someone who effortlessly stands above the rest and remains consistent in their role as all legends tend to do.
Such forces of nature do not simply go away.
Today, we bid farewell to our beloved Aunty Mary, but we do so with the secure knowledge that her legend will live on through all of the lives she has touched over the course of her long and well lived one.
For my family, Aunty Mary existed in numerous roles, as our mother’s eldest sister and strongest support, our aunt, our caregiver, teacher, life-coach and so much more. For Kevin, Alina and myself, (Anne) there is not much we can refer to in our childhood, without recalling her presence, her involvement, her care, and most of all, her love.
She was our constant.
She taught us to type, she taught us to sew, to knit, to bake, to cook, to shine a wineglass ‘just right,’ to understand the importance of education, to build character, to be better people, and most of all to rise to challenges as she did, always with a straight spine and never with a lowered chin.
Aunty Mary was my hero, and I will miss her so very much. We all will. She was an incomparable force, a woman of tremendous resilience, and one of those rare human beings whose touch could turn anything to gold. I cannot begin to list the things she excelled at, but for those who knew and loved her, there needs to be no list.
Blaise, Steven, Trevor (and your families) - I have told my children this often, so I will end with it here today. We were the fortunate ones, the ones who were loved by this magnificent woman and grew under her steadying hand. And, with her love came three powerful things: The strongest criticism that built us, the fiercest protection that saved us, and the deepest devotion that nurtured us.
There was no one like her, and there never will be for us ever again.
Rest in serenity, Aunty Mary. We love you and we will treasure your memory always.
