Mrs. Ermelinda Gaspar Nogueira

Obituary

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Ermelinda Pereira Gaspar Nogueira, just a few days shy of her 90th birthday. She passed away peacefully on March 20, 2025, surrounded by her loving family.

Ermelinda was born in Casal da Ladeira, a small village near Leiria, Portugal, on March 27, 1935. She was the youngest of thirteen children and possessed a vibrant, spirited personality that drew people to her. Her lifelong ability to make lasting friendships was one of her many gifts. From an early age, she demonstrated a strong work ethic, often walking to Leiria to sell produce, to save for her dowry.

In the early 1950s, Ermelinda met the love of her life, Agostinho Nogueira, and they married in 1957. Their love and partnership were unwavering, and together they built a life full of purpose and devotion. In the 1960s, while Agostinho worked in France, Ermelinda cared for her ailing father, worked the fields, managed workers, and raised their young daughter, Ermelinda Maria. In 1966, she bravely immigrated to Canada with her husband and daughter, seeking a better life for their family. A few years later, their second daughter, Annabella, was born.

Throughout her life, Ermelinda was devoted to her family, her parents, her husband, and her daughters. She was immensely proud of her five grandchildren: Nathaniel, Rachel, Madeleine, Evan, and Catarina. Her love for them was evident in the countless memories they created together. She and her husband were instrumental in helping to raise them, from picking them up at daycare and school, to taking them to swimming classes, hockey games and dance training.  She delighted in sharing her stories from her youth. She proudly passed down to her family her secret recipe for filhoses (Portuguese donuts) at Christmas 2023, ensuring her favorite dessert would live on.

Although she deeply missed Agostinho after his passing in 2023, Ermelinda continued to live with passion and vigor. She enjoyed a final trip to Portugal in the summer of 2024, where she was surrounded by family and friends and showed her remarkable energy and optimism. Her daughters, sons-in-law Patrick and Amilcar, and grandchildren were all struck by her vitality and joy during this visit.

While Ermelinda was devoted to her family, she equally treasured her many nieces and nephews spread throughout Canada, Portugal, and Brazil.  To borrow a few words from her loving nephew, Manuel Gaspar,

“Death is a part of life, but we always think it will come much later—except this time, it came too soon. We learned about her illness just two months ago, and now she’s gone… without even saying goodbye.

How sad that she left us in the summer, a time when her home was always filled with friends, and family. In the evenings, during our long conversations, she would share stories of her childhood, of our family, of the days long gone.  In truth, she was an encyclopedia of our family history, and now, that knowledge is lost.

I will miss her phone calls. I will miss the warmth of her open door, the meals she prepared, and her “bolinho”.

What will it be like now, with her door closed?  Tia Ermelinda, farewell—you will always be in our hearts.”

Ermelinda was also a great friend to many.  Up until the last few days, she was offering advice and consolation to her friends. She always took their calls on her reliable cell phone, which never left her side.   Ermelinda’s kindness and generosity were felt by all who knew her. She took the time to comfort and lend a hand to those in need.  Ermelinda will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by her family and friends for her boundless love, wisdom, and passion for life.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all at Toronto General Hospital for their care.

Visitation: Cardinal Funeral Home, Friday, March 28, 2025, from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Funeral Mass: St. Agnes Church, 15 Grace Street, Toronto, Saturday, March 29, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. Interment: Prospect Cemetery, 1450 St. Clair Avenue West, Toronto

Ermelina's Funeral Mass will be livestreamed and may be viewed by clicking here or by copy and pasting this link into your web browser: https://youtube.com/live/TMbO0I8G7is

A back-up livestream link can be accessed by clicking here or by copy and pasting this link into your web browser: https://youtube.com/live/o3Agcnw_o7M

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In honour of Ermelinda's memory, the Nogueira family kindly requests that instead of sending flowers, you consider donating to the Magellan Community Foundation.

The Magellan Community Foundation is dedicated to providing seniors with high-quality and culturally sensitive care for the aging members of Portuguese-Canadian communities. To make a memorial donation, please click here or copy and paste this link into your web browser: https://mcf.akaraisin.com/ui/donate/donations/start , and select the "Give In Memory" tab located above your donation options.

Visitation

Service

Entombment