Natalia Medeiros Melo

Natalia Medeiros Melo, age 88, died peacefully, surrounded by her loving family at Centennial Place in Millbrook, Ontario on Saturday, January 12, 2019.

Natalia was born in 1930 in Ponta Delgada on the island of São Miguel, Açores, Portugal, to José  de Medeiros and Teresa Moniz. She was the middle child of 5 children: Maria Evelina, Margarida (predeceased), Almorinda, and José (predeceased). Natalia had a happy and carefree childhood climbing trees and playing out adventures with her siblings and friends. She was independent and had an entrepreneurial spirit, and had a seamstress business in her early twenties. She worked throughout her life as a seamstress, continually honing her craft, and went on to create beautiful gowns, including both of her daughters’ wedding dresses.

Natalia is predeceased by her husband, Fernando F. Melo. The young couple and their two daughters immigrated to Canada in 1967. She embraced her new home, and attended English classes in order to become fully bi-lingual. She loved Canada, but never forgot her first home, which she visited often as she enjoyed traveling. It is a sign of her generous nature that every two years she treated her family to summer holidays in São Miguel, so that her grandchildren could connect with their Azorean roots and extended family.

She will be fondly remembered by her family: daughters Esperança Melo and Natalia Melo; sons-in-law Bill Slavin and Alan Geldart; grandchildren Dawson and Mia and by her sisters and nieces and nephews in São Miguel, Brazil and the United States.

Service Information

A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Thomas More Roman Catholic Church, 28 King St. W., Millbrook on Thursday, January 17th at 1 pm. Interment will take place at Mount Pleasant Cemetery, 375 Mount Pleasant Rd., Toronto on Friday, January 18th at 1 pm.
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In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to Amnesty International Canada in memory of Natalia. Arrangements entrusted to the Fallis & Shields Funeral Home, Millbrook. (705) 932-5300 www.fallis-shields.com