On September 1st, the light that was Rina Zecchel De Sordi was extinguished.
She is survived by her children, Mary Rose (Bob), Anna, Sandro (Lucia) and Remo (Trudy). She is also survived by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, namely, by Mary Rose's daughter's Lindsay (Cesar and their children, Gabriel and Elena), Shelley (James and their son Jakob), and Kristen (Kyle and their daughter, Everly); by Sandro's children, Paolo, Marcangelo and Olivia; and by Remo's son's, Alessandro and Stefano.
In 1954 she was predeceased by an infant son and then in 2013 by our Dad, Angelo, after which the light shone markedly less brightly. She is remembered by her sister-in-law, Adelina Durante from Sioux Lookout, the Durante nephews (Frank, Robert, Lino and Lawrence) and their families, a special niece Marilisa in Toronto and many nieces and nephews in Italy.
Mom was born on March 17th, 1921 in Nervesa della Battaglia, Italy, a small agricultural town approximately 45 kilometers north of Venice. The only daughter in a family of 5 children, she was accorded special attention by her parents and brothers.
She carried with her memories of that special attention as well of the meager existence that was her family's reality.
Life was hard. Like many of her generation and class she would be withdrawn from elementary school at a very early age in order that she might secure some type of work that would help augment the family's meager income.
Later, in her early teens, she would leave her family and travel to Padua where she would be employed as a servant and later a lady's maid in the homes of the wealthy, sending home her wages to support her parents and siblings. With the onset of World War II, Mom returned from Padua, which was more likely to be bombed by the opposing forces, and returned to the relative safety of rural Nervesa. However, Nervesa would end up experiencing the war first hand.
Like Dad, living through the war, in close proximity to the battles lines, would help define her character. A couple of years following the end of WWII, Mom met Dad. They were married in 1948 and for the next 65 years, until Dad's death, they would walk together, side by side, in all things. It was a relationship in which their commitment to each other was unassailable and self-evident.
They had very different personalities – in some ways diametrically opposite to each other – but they were differences that served to augment and compliment. We saw them as two special people made yet more special when joined together.
Following their marriage - mindful of the limited opportunities Italy offered the poorer classes and following the examples of Dad's sister who had settled in Sioux Lookout - our parents made the decision to immigrate to Canada.
In the age old story of those who immigrate in search of a better life, in 1952, Mom, with a toddler Mary Rose by her side, embarked for Canada to join Dad who had left a year earlier to secure employment and accommodations. In leaving Italy, she would leave behind all whom she knew and all that was familiar and she would bring with her one trunk of belongings and a fierce determination to make Canada a new home for her and her family.
After moving to Sioux Lookout, Mom raised and nurtured her family and helped Dad in his job at Sacred Heart School. She also baby-sat many children, developing a special bond with many of them, particularly the Bortolot kids, Darryl and Stefanie, whom she viewed as surrogate grandchildren. Mom and Dad had 45 very good years in Sioux Lookout and in 1995, noting that their kids were dispersed in other centers, made the difficult decision to leave their friends in Sioux Lookout and move to Thunder Bay were Anna lived. Once in Thunder Bay, Mom cultivated new friendships with members of the Italian community.
The circumstances of her childhood meant that Mom left school at a very early age. However, that lack of a formal education would not deny a keen intellect. She had a remarkable ability to observe and analyze perceptively. She would encourage and inspire her children by extracting essential life lessons from the rich tradition of Italian proverbs and then impart to us the sagest of advice. It was advice that beamed a most extraordinary light that gave clarity and guidance.
Above all, she was an exemplary mother: she would raise her kids by loving generously, sharing wholeheartedly, laughing easily, disciplining firmly and celebrating life's events enthusiastically.
A natural extrovert we remember her as adding life to our events, of making friends readily and of creating a home filled with respect and warmth. Quite simply, she was the center of that home and, around her, our Dad and we kids willingly orbited. She leaves us with her indelible imprint as well as the knowledge that we were the lucky beneficiaries of a most precious and remarkable gift. Prayers will be held at The Blake Funeral Chapel at 8 p.m. A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, September 9, 2015 at 11:00am at St. Dominic's Church 130 Redwood Avenue, with Rev. Maurizio Maifredi c.s. officiating.
In lieu of flowers, should friends so desire, donations may be made to The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation, 980 Oliver Rd. Thunder Bay ON, P7B 6V4 or the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario, 979 Alloy Drive, Thunder Bay, P7B 5Z8.
Mamma, ti sara sempre nelle nostre cuore. Risposa in pace eterna, inseime con Papa
Angela De Sordi will be remembered in the Blake Funeral Chapel Memorial Grove. Annual dedication service Sunday, June 12, 2016.
