It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved family matriarch, Ferdinanda (Ferdie) D’Silva, on May 17th, 2021 at the age of 98, two weeks away from her 99th birthday.

She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and is predeceased by her husband, Joaquim Joseph D’Silva (1994) and her son, Gilbert (2010). An inspiring and loving mother of the late Gilbert/Pam, Meena/the late Xavier, Jane (Jenny)/Walter, Sheila/Leandro, Marielou (Lucinda)/Austin, Agnelo/Daphne, Maria (Buddy)/Glenn and Colin/Nisha; doting grandmother to 18 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren; She was the 7th of 10 children and is survived by her sister, Philomena Row; She was our Mum, Nana, Gramma, Great Grand Nana and Great Gran, she will be greatly missed by us all, together with her countless nieces, nephews, cousins and friends whose lives she touched.

Born in Goa on 30th May 1922, Ferdie grew up in Poona, as her father owned the Royal Hotel. Married to Joaquim at the tender age of 19, they raised 8 children together at Wellington Terrace in Bombay.

As their children moved around the world, Ferdie and Joaquim became avid travellers and spent much of their time visiting their children and enjoying their many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, with Ferdie eventually emigrating to Canada in 1997.

She loved spending time with her family, cooking, singing, reading, watching old movies and regaling us with stories. More recently she enjoyed attending and making new friends at the seniors centres, where she enjoyed making crafts, singing songs and winning many prizes through her aptitude, quick wit and knowledge .

Everyone who met Ferdie loved her sense of humour and left a better person for knowing her. Her smile and laugh were infectious and her love and passion for life were felt by all. She always put the needs of others before herself, underpinned by her strong faith in Christ and His Mother Mary, and endured more in her lifetime than most would be able to weather; yet her faith and strength of character ensured she overcame every obstacle with grace and humility. Ferdie was strong, resilient, kind, loving, gentle, loved a good laugh, a chocolate fiend, a powerful woman with a heart of gold and a smile that would light up any room. For someone her age, she was very liberal and modern in her thinking, she was in tune with the times.

Her faith sustained her until the end and we take consolation in knowing that she is finally at peace with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, in Heaven.

Ferdie was the most wonderful role model for our family; she will forever remain in our hearts, and her values, selflessness, love and generosity will continue to inspire and guide us throughout our lives. She lived a blessed and beautiful life and raised an amazing family that is still growing. The love she created will be felt for generations. She will be deeply missed and fondly remembered as the queen of our hearts.

A private funeral will be held on Wednesday, May 26th, 2021 at Sts. Cyril & Methodious Parish in Mississauga at 11am.

Visitation on Tuesday, May 25th (4 pm - 8 pm) and Funeral on Wednesday, May 26th at 11am will both be live streamed. The live stream links will be uploaded to this page shortly before the visitation and funeral.

If possible, please view the photo gallery and sign the Guestbook.

In lieu of flowers, you are invited to donate to Ferdie's favourite charity - Don Bosco's Missions, General Fund. In the message box, copy and paste the following: 'In remembrance of Mrs. Ferdinanda D'Silva. Please forward to Don Bosco's Shrine, Matunga, Mumbai, India'.

VIDEO LINKS:
VISITATION:
The video link (line of writing) will appear above her photograph.
The video link will be live approx. 5 – 10 minutes before the visitation.
If you do not see if after the start time, it may be that your computer has “timed out” just refresh your page, or go back and try the link above again
The priest will arrive at 6:00pm EST, followed by Rosary.

FUNERAL:
https://youtu.be/1ofrp3kaPrc
If the above link does not direct you to the livestream, please copy and paste it in your browser.
The live stream link for the funeral will be live at 10:30am EST on Wednesday, May 26th.
Video presentation from 10:30 to 11:00am. The funeral will begin at 11:00am.