Mrs. Maria Paulina Pavão

Obituary

Paulina Pavao

We are gathered here today in the memory of my Mother.

So that together we may acknowledge and share both our joy in the gift that her life was to us and the pain that her passing brings.

Thank you all for being here.

Maria Paulina Pavao was my Mother.

Born in 1938 on the island of Sao Miquel, Azores. She was the 2nd oldest of a family of 9 children.

Life was tough back then, there were few opportunities and very little money to go around but with family, community, and a strong faith, she and her family were able to overcome these challenges.

She arrived in Canada in January of 1960 to begin a new life with her husband Gil.

It was a major cultural shock to go from a small village with no electricity to a big modern city.

I remember her telling me her first experience of walking into a supermarket and being overwhelmed and paralyzed by the amount of food and the variety of options. She just stood there not knowing what to do.

In many ways she was a stereotypical Portuguese mother. Her humble beginnings helped create in her a strong sense of morality and guiding values, such as determination, perseverance, dependability, selflessness and generosity, to name a few.

My mother was the foundation of our family. She was a jack of all trades.

She could do anything from running a household to digging a foundation to actually building one.

It was not unusual for her to be cooking a delicious meal and at the same time helping lay down a new cement floor for the basement. That, for her, would be just another typical day.

Many people would tell me how remarkable and resourceful my mother was.

Everything she did, she did it well, which lead to an inside joke, doing things to "The Paulina’s Level." Those that knew her know what I'm talking about.

She was relieved when I finally got married and was thrilled to become a grandmother. She was very proud of her Grandson Carson and loved introducing him to everyone she met.

After my father's passing she looked forward to spending every weekend with us.

Even though she is gone she has left a legacy of her love and perseverance.

We want to acknowledge all the love and support we have received from family and friends during this difficult period.

I know she loved me very much. Mom, thank you for everything you did for me. I know you will continue to help me. It makes me somewhat happy to know that now you are with Dad and other family members.

Visitation

Service

Entombment