Contributions to the tribute of Dolores Di Sante (Nicholls)

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Mary uploaded photo(s)

Saturday, October 8, 2022

A week ago my Mom went home. She was the most amazing person I have ever known. Mom loved life and what a life she lived. More often than not it was a hard life but she always found the joy and learning in every situation. She was a survivor and I am grateful to her every day for the courage, kindness and love that she instilled in me. Proud of her Irish heritage and self appointed gift of the gab, Mom was always quick with a joke or funny song. She made it her mission in her retirement years to make everyone smile – she succeeded. Even when dementia took the best of her, her feisty spirit kept the nurses on their toes and they loved her for it. With an insatiable love of learning and endless curiosity, Mom was perfectly suited to be a teacher. She loved her students like they were her own children and rejoiced in watching them learn something new. She herself spent most of her life as a student. She knew 6 languages and earned 4 university degrees. She was an avid reader and often you would find a paper tucked into her book with a character analysis, genealogy or a plot graph. In later years when the grandkids came along, Mom jumped at the chance to be a kid again. Writing storybooks, building snowmen or just watching the wind in the trees, Mom became an endearing part of my children’s life. She was super Nana. Her infectious laugh kept the girls in giggles and they too were inspired by her wonder at the world. Mom will be greatly missed. There is a huge hole in my heart but I know that she is healthy, mind restored and probably stirring up trouble on the other side.

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Rik Hawkins lit a candle

Tuesday, October 4, 2022

Mrs. Nichols was more than a teacher, more than a librarian, and when I met her as a grade 3 student, I was immediately amazed at how kind, how smart, patient and altruistic she was. Besides reading to us, showing us how to use the library, and all the fun word games she would have us participate in, she taught us to be honest, fair citizens at an early age, simply by example. Many times I would ask to go to the library for information, on sharks, planes, …stuff that 9 to 12 year old boys love, and without asking she would walk over and ask “what are you working on Ricky?” and made you feel that your trivial project was the most important, interesting thing to her. Over the years, after catching up with Jamie, I would reminisce and tell him all my fond memories of his mother. I was absolutely devastated when he told me that the smartest person I ever knew, was slowly fading due to Alzheimer’s disease. My heart pours out to Jamie and his entire family for their loss. There will never be anyone quite like her and she definitely made a formidable, positive impression on my life. I will forever find moments when I’ll be doing something and she’ll pop in my mind, with her twinkling smile, and hear her asking me “what I’m working on. I love you Mrs Nichols ❤️

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Mary Posted Oct 8, 2022 at 11:27 AM

Beautifully said. You have captured her spirit. Thank-you. Mary

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Mary posted a condolence

Monday, October 3, 2022

With you a part of me hath passed away; For in the peopled forest of my mind A tree made leafless by this wintry wind Shall never don again its green array. Chapel and fireside, country road and bay, Have something of their friendliness resigned; Another, if I would, I could not find, And I am grown much older in a day. But yet I treasure in my memory Your gift of charity, and young hearts ease, And the dear honour of your amity; For these once mine, my life is rich with these. And I scarce know which part may greater be, What I keep of you, or you rob from me. George Santayana

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The family of Dolores Di Sante (Nicholls) uploaded a photo

Monday, October 3, 2022

Dolores Di Sante (Nicholls)

1938 - 2022