+Maria Piedade Fernandes
Mon Apr 05 12:00:00

Maria Piedade Fernandes (ex Nairobi, Kenya) passed away peacefully on March 26, 2010, in Calgary, Alberta, at the age of 90 years, after years of declining health.  She is survived by her sons, Alfredo (Lena), Roberto (Marguerita), Aurelio (Elaine), all from Calgary, Alberta; daughters, Elia and Olga (Ian) from Edgware, England; grandchildren, Janine (Richard), Dellano, Sean and Ashley; and great grandchildren, India, Emerson and Renee.  Maria is also survived by her sister Antonieta in Goa, and numerous nephews and nieces.  Funeral Mass will be celebrated at Sacred Heart Catholic Church (1307 – 14th St. SW) on Saturday, April 10, 2010 at 9:00 am.  Private graveside service to follow at Queen’s Park Cemetery. Condolences may be forwarded to alf.fernandes @ shaw.ca

+Rui Fonseca
Sat Mar 27 12:00:00

FONSECA, Rui - Peacefully passed, following a brief illness on March 13, 2010, at North York General Hospital at the age of 83. Beloved husband of Grignion. Devoted father of Keith, Elaine (Philip Dias), Avril (Robert MacDonald), Nigel (Melissa) and the late Lynette. Proud grandfather of Cassondra, Nicole, Graham, Andrew, Adriana and Kevin. He will be well remembered for his strength, courage and endearing humour by his family and friends. A Funeral Mass was held on Saturday, March 20, 2010, at St. Paschal Baylon Church (92 Steeles Ave. W.) - Message from Toronto Star.

+ Julius D'Souza
Sat Mar 27 12:00:00

Message from: Melissa Fernandes (melstar_13@hotmail.com)
Sent: March 23, 2010 To: QGA Committee 2009

It is with deepest sadness that we would like to inform you of the passing of Julius D'Souza early this morning (March 23, 2010) at the Lakeshore General Hospital in Montreal. Julius is survived by his sisters Phyllis (Raul Coutinho), Mary (Werner Brauer), Josephine (Santan Lobo), Cecilia (Noel Ezekiel) California and brother Joe (Irma) Florida. Funeral Mass: Saturday March 27, 2010,St. Luke's Church at 1 p.m. 106A Anselme-Lavigne (corner of Westpark ) Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Quebec

Interment: Ste. Genevieve Cemetery, Ste Genevieve. On behalf of the Quebec Goan Association, we send our deepest condolences to Phyllis, Mary, Josephine, Cecilia, Joe and their families and we ask that you pray for them during this difficult time.

+Baptist De Souza
Fri Mar 26 12:00:00

+Baptist De Souza - Former President of the erstwhile Bombay Hockey Association
Based on news items from PTI and other sources
Baptist de Souza, passed away on March 23 in Mumbai after a brief illness. He was 81. Beloved husband of Lorna, father of Michelle/Lawrence deSa and Neisha, grandfather of Danyel & Jasmine, brother of Osland/Lorna and Atila/Fenelon, and cousin of Nelson/Hilda and Rudy/Maureen from Mississauga. His funeral took place at St. Stephens’s Church in Mumbai, on March 24, 2010.

Baptist De Souza, an automobile engineer by profession, was instrumental in the Mahindra Stadium getting the artificial turf and during his tenure from 1980 to 1998 Mumbai hockey, with a host of Olympians and World Cuppers, was at the top in the country, said the release from the renamed Mumbai Hockey Association. A sports enthusiast, he was the guiding force behind establishing Mahindra & Mahindra, where he was the deputy Managing Director, as a top force in football and hockey. He was President of the Bombay Hockey Association during its golden era.

In a press release Mahindras noted that Baptist , with other Mahindra stalwarts like former national golf champion Rajkumar Pitambar and Balu Sule, encouraged sports and generated respectable jobs for the likes of triple Olympian M M Somaya, Joaquim Carvalho, Marcellus Gomes, Mark Patterson, Dhanraj Pillay, Darryl D’Souza, Gavin Ferreira and World Cuppers Francis D’Mello, Edgar Mascarenhas.  Mahindras also had in their ranks top footballers like Mustafa, Shivdas, Nataraj, Godfrey Pereira, Santosh Kashyap and Shanta Kumar.

But Baptist will be remembered most for changing the face of Mumbai hockey, its stadium and for his constant efforts to bring in financial aid for the development of the game in the metropolis and the country, in general, the release added. Rudy Fernandes, his cousin and godson in Canada notes that Baptist was a great humanitarian and helped many hundreds of Goans in numerous ways, especially getting jobs and he also actively participated in and led many key community efforts. Baptist was given the honour to drive Pope Paul VI during his visit to Bombay in the “Popemobile”, a jeep which Mahindra & Mahindra had specially constructed.
 
Mother Teresa requested Baptist that this special vehicle be later donated to her for a charity raffle. Instead she received 3 jeeps for her mission's use via Baptist's intervention. Mother Theresa visited Baptist's home years ago to meet some of the benefactors and she also visited him in hospital many years ago when he was there previously. Providentially at this time many of Mother Teresa's nuns were present at the St Elizabeth's Nursing Home and came over to pray for him as he was passing away.