Passed away peacefully at the Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre in Barrie on Thursday, February 1st, 2018. Tess is the youngest of 10 siblings. She came into the world a day before Valentine’s Day, the thirteenth of February, 1959. Thus she was named Trece, or Trecita. When she started school, her grade one teacher preferred to call her Teresita, so Teresita she has become to everybody since. Being the youngest, she was the pet of the family, but she grew up never spoiled. At a very young age, she finished midwifery, and graduated with honors. Not qualified yet to take the board because of her age, she took a secretarial course. She took up nursing next and achieved her cherished dream of becoming a Florence Nightingale. She earned her first penny working as a caregiver to a person with senile dementia. She was enjoying her life on the nursing staff of the Protestant-owned institution, Mary Johnston Hospital, when death struck twice in the family; first her favourite brother, followed 4 months later by her mother. It affected her so much, that she decided to leave the country, and she started work at King Fahd Hospital in Saudi Arabia. Life has to move on! Armed with determination to bury the past and start a new life, she flew to Vienna, Austria. She tried very hard to land a job and perseverance paid off. After 2 years she was settled and was able to send for her son RJ. Tess is a generous and giving person. She made possible the dream of her relatives to see a little of the world. She helped them to visit Hong Kong and helped finance their trip to her adopted country, Austria and other European countries. In 2002 she married Jerry and moved to Canada with her son. In Canada Tess soon found new friends and co-workers and was made welcome by them. Tess is dedicated to whatever job or client she is assigned. She also enjoyed the freedom she gained when she got her driver’s license and very own car. She loved to travel abroad with Jerry. Her latest pride and joy are her 2 grandchildren in Austria, David and Lucy. Friends may call at the First Christain Reformed Church in Barrie on Wednesday, February 7
th, 2018 from 10:00a.m. until time of memorial service at 11:00 a.m. followed by a reception.
