Lourdes D’Souza

Lourdes Rodrigues D’Souza

Peacefully passed away on Tuesday, April 3, 2018 at Brampton Civic Hospital, in Brampton.  Beloved wife of the late Victor Francis D’Souza. Loving Mother of  Gerard, Glenn (Michelle) and Godfrey (Lynette).  Cherished grandmother of Stephen, Lydia, Danielle, Eric, Giselle, Cedric and Andrew.  Dear sister of Alex (late), Philomena, Joseph (late), Patrick, and Antonio.  Resting at Rod Abrams Funeral Home (1666 Tottenham Rd., Tottenham) 905-936-3477 on Saturday, April 7, 2018 from 10:00-11:00am followed by funeral service in the chapel at 11:00am. Interment will be held at Mt. Tegart Cemetery, Tottenham. www.RodAbramsFuneralHome.com

Our mother always talked about Jesus and how he changed her life. She was very zealous in her concern, and her intentions were to try to impart better hope in the next life to the people she knew, including her children. Her hope was not on any materialistic things in this world, just like our Dad.

1 Corinthians 15:54    ⁵⁴When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

John 11:25   ²⁵Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.”

 

 

Eulogy of Gerard D’Souza eldest son of Lourdes D’Souza

This is what I want to say about my Mum “Our mother always talked about Jesus and how he changed her life. She was very zealous in her concern, and her intensions were to try to impart better hope in the next life to the people she knew, including her children. Her hope was not on any materialistic things in this world, just like our Dad.“

I am happy that you lived a life in your church and I knew that you always will bless everyone around, just like you did your sons. I love you Mum, I understand you. I am glad to have a Mum like you.

 

Eulogy of Glenn D’Souza middle son of Lourdes D’Souza

Overall impressions of Mom: Growing up, I prided myself in being surrounded by many friends. However, after seeing the number of people who came to visit my mum in the hospital, I would say over 200 of you, and the number of people present here today, I am most humbled.

• Friends have travelled from as far as Denmark, Ottawa, Houston, Chicago, Pennyslvania, Delaware, Oregon and all over.
• People who I have not met for so many years…. Echoes of our past, reached out this last month to inquire, to honour and to pray for my mum.
• I am astounded with how many lives she has touched and she just knew how to be a good friend to all.
• My mum was the kind of person who would do anything for her family, friends and even strangers – no questions asked, nothing was too much.

 

I am thankful for each one of you for taking the time to be here and to wish my mum a warm goodbye.

In the hospital, mum was in a unique position.  She was being cared for by a nurse who she herself cared for as a baby.  Thank you Debbie, I could see in my Mum`s eyes how happy she was when you freshened her up and stayed by her bedside.

In my teenage years, it was common to see mum taking care of many children – ranging from the age of, 2 months up to 8 years, who are now grown up and in different parts of the world and have reached out during the final moments of her life now in these final days, they have shared with me how she has touched their lives.

My earliest recollections of my mum

My mum’s happiest moments in her life was when my dad was around. On the weekends, she would wake me up early in the morning to go with dad to the fish market behind Plaza cinema in Dubai and then proceed to make three to four dishes for lunch.  I will always treasure that our parents insisted we eat as a family, especially on the weekends.

The most heartbreaking moment for my mom, was when my Dad passed away.  She truly loved dad and that showed over the years after he passed away, which she also shared with me on her last days.  I was only 19.

Mum tried to love each of us son’s equally.  She never spoke ill of any of us (or anyone else for that matter). I am who I am because of my mom.  From a very young age, every morning we went for 6:30 mass at St. Mary’s church in Dubai.  She instilled in us a strong faith and a love for our Lord.

From the early days through to my teenage years and then adulthood, mum would always remind or exhort us to do good to everyone and be well.

At one time in my growing years, I strayed into heavy drinking and smoking but still she had only good things to say about me to all her friends.  She would always treat my friends with love and make sure they were well fed before we headed out into a night of clubbing. It is these same friends that in the last month, asked and prayed for my mum as she lay in the hospital.

Thankfulness from my Family members (wife and kids):

I would like to acknowledge and thank mum for being there for my wife, Michelle and I, and for each of our three children, Danielle, Eric and Giselle.  I will always be grateful that she was present for each of our children’s births or how she shared with them an unconditional love.

Every time we went over she used to make her famous chicken biryani which each of my children devoured.  On Easter Sunday, when Danielle saw her Grandma in hospital the last time, she thanked her for her amazing gift of food. At the final visit to mum at hospital, Giselle was giggling when her face came near mum face and she suddenly popped up from her comma kind of state from sleep and giggled at Gisselle.

My mom was always caring with her grandchildren and would enjoy singing songs to them.  She gave Danielle an audio book where she recorded her voice reading Frosty the Snowman.  The book now remains as a keepsake and a reminder of the loving grandmother she was.

Closing:

Mum I still feel your loving hand, guiding me to do for my children what you always did for me.

I thank the Good Lord for you my blessed mum, you in your own special way, blessed us with your love for me and my family.

As a child we all wanted our parents undivided attention, we wanted to know, no matter how old we are, that we are the centre of our parent’s universe.  However, that was not the case with you mom.  Little did I realize Mum that your sole purpose in life was to serve, to help others, and to share God’s love.  At times I felt cheated.  I wanted more of you mum and your time, more of your attention.  Mum, I now know that you were called to a greater purpose, a bigger calling.  You understood what it was to be a follower of Christ and you did all you could in service of others.   This is why all of us are gathered here Mum, today because in some way or another you touched all our lives.  In your ordinary ways, you were Extraordinary.

Be happy mum.  We love you.  We will miss you.  You are with God now and your suffering is over and I know in spirit, you are looking down on all of us.

In closing I will leave you with what my mum would say to us every time we said Goodbye to her after visiting her:  “Be happy and keep smiling”.

 

Eulogy of Godfrey D’Souza youngest son of Lourdes D’Souza

I have tremendous gratitude for past few days I was able to spend time with my mother since she was first diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer since around first week of March, 2018. We were very open with one another – sharing our feelings; laughter, tears, and, some bickering here and there. The conversations and closure we were able to have were a gift. I will miss her forever.
In my mother’s life there was hardship, but also huge blessings. It was an invaluable experience to have, along with my family, being by my mother’s side in her final days and nights, and I am amazed to recollect the bright, warm, large look in her hazel colored eyes, after she was told she did not have much time left.

As my mother began to pass away and become weaker and weaker,  and I thought maybe she does not want to go, as she was a fighter and her incredible tenacity had showed up in her strong will to live with this terrible disease these last few weeks. Yet in her final moments the peace and tranquility that came over my mom’s face was breathtaking. She was beautiful and glorious as an angel as she smiled and transitioned out of this world and into the next. For sure she had agreed to pass on and by the ecstatic look on her face I rest knowing mom was greeted by her loved ones who went before her.

My mother was a widow at a very young age (around 45 years).  When we were growing up she made sure my siblings and I were always taken care of. She would sacrifice her own happiness for ours.  Life was indeed a struggle in those days.

She always said you had to be nice to everyone even if they weren’t nice to you, because you don’t know what is going on in their lives. I could never understand how she could be so compassionate to people who were not nice to her. That was just the way Mum was. She cared more for everyone else than she did for herself.

My mother’s core motivating force was- LOVE and it was her love that has had a profound impact on the essence of who I am. My mum will always live with me in my heart.

 

Eulogy of Antonia Rodrigues blood brother of Lourdes Rodrigues D’Souza

My eldest sister amazing made sure all her brothers were well taken care of. Her husband Victor Francis D’Souza was always her strong Anker and support and influence in her life. Although grew up with my parents first in Karachi and then in Goa, I never knew that I would know my elder sister to me (13 years older than me).

Here comes my sister to Goa, after I completed my air conditioning and electrical certificate diploma and she wants to get me to stay with her in Dubai with her family, before I even got married.

When I came to Dubai, I lived with her for a few years more than 3 years before moving out on my own. I found my sister was always kind to me, never charged me for anything. She could ask my help in cooking and buying things from the market. Every time she asked me to buy things from the market, she would forcefully put money in my pocket. We all loved to cook, right from our dad and every sibling, we are all good cooks, and my Dad of course was the best cook that I have ever known. My Dad loved my sister a great deal and he made sure he cooked ALL the food for her daughter’s wedding. My sister Lourdes did most of the cooking at her home, and was great at cooking and loved to feed everyone even strangers who visited us.

She was always good to me and it was very peaceful living with her family with 3 kids, where we I shared the same one room with her kids in a small room with 5 small beds only.

She loved her husband, and her husband would do anything she asked him too. I am surprised that all my siblings (3 brothers and 1 sister) stayed with her. My sister used her influence with her husband to get them successful and established, and he did all he could always.

Her husband never cared for money and had a great generous heart like my sister. She always took care of him although her husband had a not so good a drinking habit, she lived with him throughout her life, ignoring his drinking habits most of the time, if not always.

My sister always kept in touch with everyone over the years, and called me often on the long distance calls, over the years after she came to Canada. Even recently in September last year she complained of pain. I told her to do a check-up with the doctor. I know she is stubborn and said “I am ok and don’t worry about me”. I did not get to talk to my sister when I arrived to the hospital around past 11.00 pm and she heard me speak to her. It was un-bearable to see her go away and what condition of health she came too. She looked just like our mum. She passed away early next morning around 4 AM.

 

Eulogy of Stephen D’Souza eldest grandson of Lourdes D’Souza and son of Gerard D’Souza

My Grandma was the centre of our family, who brought us together for the holidays of the year. She always taught us to do what is right and tried to live up to being as good as loving Jesus. She is still with us in spirit and memory and forever bonded to us by blood.

 

Eulogy of Lydia D’Souza eldest granddaughter of Lourdes D’Souza and daughter of Gerard D’Souza

I grew up with my Nana and she has been there for me since I was a baby. Through, out my life she has been the only person who would both scold me for things but be the first person to take my side if anyone else said anything bad about me.

She always surprised me; for example when I went to Japan this summer I was so afraid to tell her, because I was sure she was going to yell at me about going alone. So I decided to tell her when I got back and all she said “Why did you not tell me, I would have come too”. I could never picture her there with me in Japan, but I had forgotten that she was always up for an adventure.

Nana was such a wonderful person. The way she pulled people to her always amazes me. She has been a grandmother to not only to her biological grandchildren but to many others outside the direct family. Nana was always there for everyone and thought of herself last.

Conclusion: I just wanted to relate what she told me when I first came to the hospital. She was more worried that people will be sad for her that she had a speech ready for when I got there. She did not want anyone to be sad. She has left her life up to God and this is just her time to be with him in Heaven. She is onto her next adventure and would want all of us to smile and enjoy being with the family.

 

Eulogy of Danielle D’Souza grand daughter of Lourdes D’Souza and daughter of Glenn D’Souza

Every birthday, my Grandma’s tradition was to call and sing a happy birthday, birthdays will now be different without you Grandma (:

When we came to my Grandma’s house we would always smell Grandma’s famous biryani that she made especially for me because she knew I liked it (Uncle Gerard says it is not fair). My Grandma’s favorite dessert that she would make for us was her apple cake, I can tell you it was the most delicious thing in the world. Going to my Grandma’s was an exciting time for us. When I or one of my siblings got sick, she would always say “Pray to Jesus and he will heal you”. When we go to Grandma’s house there wouldn’t be a single rule to follow. Grandma would let us be free but the only rule she would say was be good and listen to your parents. When we went to see Grandma in the hospital she said “Be happy and if you need to talk to Jesus just SAY Dear Jesus”. We love you Grandma and always be happy.

 

Eulogy of Cedric D’Souza grandson of Lourdes D’Souza and son of Godfrey D’Souza

My Grandma, may you rest in peace. Grandma I thank you for the support and comfort you provided for everyone in our family. Grandma, I thank you for putting a smile on our faces, you brought so much joy to our lives. Grandma, I thank you for everything you did to take care of our family, you will always be in our memories.

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