SPIZZIRRI, Melina 'Teresa' (Coscarelli) - It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our mother, grandmother and great grandmother on October 14, 2021.
Beloved wife of (Guido, deceased), mother to Gino (Nadia), Tony (Vanda), Gianni (Carol Ann), Rosie, and Mirella (Robert).
Nonna to Guido, Adrian (Eva), Lucio (LaTonia), Melissa, Isabella (Kevin) and Franco.
Great grandmother to Jacob (Sydney) and Vanessa.
Fondly remembered by her brothers, sisters, brother in law and sisters in law, nieces, nephews and cousins.
Melina was born in 1930 in a village in the mountains of Calabria, Italy. She was the second of seven children, having three sisters and three brothers. Her father was a woodsman and her mother a “casalinga,” a housewife. In 1950 she married Guido who had emigrated to Canada in 1952.
In Toronto she had 3 more children. When her husband got sick, she got a job in a shoe factory where she worked in unhealthy and unsafe conditions for 17 years. After her husband died in 1995, she continued to live in the same house and be the centre of all family get-togethers. Teresa was totally devoted to her husband, children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
She practiced love whenever she could, even inviting those that wanted to change her religion to come inside her home for a coffee. Although she was very kind and soft spoken, she had a mind of her own and would not be bullied into anything she didn’t like.
Her beautiful smile, sense of humour, and respectfulness made her loved by all who were fortunate enough to know her. Teresa always carried herself with dignity and strove to do what was morally correct.
Her physical presence will be dearly missed, but her spiritual presence will continue far into the future.
We would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to Teresa’s caregiver, Antonelle (Toni) Pimiente and Irene Cilla, Nurse Practitioner Palliative and the nurses at St. Elizabeth for taking good care of her.
For those who wish, donations may be made to the Second Harvest Food Bank. Teresa never wished for anyone to go hungry.
Visitation will be held on Sunday October 17, 2021 from 4pm to 9pm at Bernardo Funeral Home, Dufferin Chapel, Toronto. Funeral Mass will be held at All Saints Catholic Church (1415 Royal York Rd., north of Eglinton Ave.) on Monday October 18, 2021 at 9:30am.
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