Our beloved Mama and Avita, Maria Teresa Penty (Cachot Rocher), passed away peacefully in Victoria, on March 31, 2020. Teresin, as she was known in her family, was born the third of four children, in 1924 in Reus, Spain, to loving parents Juan and Amparo. In her early youth the family moved from their native Catalunya to Madrid, where their devotion, strength and unity saw them through the difficult years of the siege of Madrid during the Spanish Civil War. After the war, Maria Teresa expanded her linguistic skills to become fluent in five languages, and served as a national youth leader for Acción Católica.
In 1954, Maria Teresa joined her husband Richard in Ontario, where she nurtured her five children, Carmen, Martin, Jane, Arthur, and Rosalind, and proudly shared her Spanish culture with them. Her early life in Canada took her in quick succession through Windsor, London, Mitchell, Stirling, Ajax, Timmins before finally settling in Ottawa. In later years she thrived working at the Spanish Commercial Office and teaching evening Spanish classes. In 1979 she moved to Victoria, British Columbia, where she continued to enjoy teaching Spanish at the YMCA.
A kind and warm woman of great intelligence, enormous grace, and compassionate faith, she was a treasured matriarch to her children, grandchildren, and their partners. By her grandchildren she was known with great affection as Avita, a name derived from Avia (grandmother) in her native Catalan. She will be remembered as a generous and listening friend to many in both her church and community. We will miss her and all that she brought to our world. Gracias Mama, Gracias Avita, por todo lo que nos has dado.
A Funeral Mass will be held at a future date.
Condolences may be offered to the family at www.mccallgardens.com. As the family would love to hear from any and all who were touched by Maria Teresa in her lifetime, please leave a note or story on this website. Should you have a private memory to share with the family, please add a note in the condolence message that you would like to be contacted and your email address will be forwarded to them.
McCall Gardens
www.mccallgardens.com
23 Responses
Aunt Tere: strong, determined, feisty, down-to-earth, wise, resourceful, kind, outward-looking, stoic, patient and proud, was such an inspirational and figure to me throughout my life. Her commitment to our family and interest in our activities was legendary. As a child, and as an adult again in later life, her long-distance telephone calls from Canada on Christmas day were a source of thrill and excitement, and I will never ever forget the kindness and wisdom she showed towards me during the complications and difficulties associated with my various life challenges.
Aunt Tere, the last of her generation in our family. She was at the centre of a hub or a wheel with many spokes…..now just the ends of the spokes by the rim are left ..brothers sisters and cousins. When I close my eyes I see a petite figure with twinkly eyes(that has not changed much in my head over the years), and I can hear quite clearly her hearty laugh and distinctive accented voice. She was like a sister(in law) to my mother Mary, always interested in what her children and grandchildren were up to and she would remember what we were all doing and quiz us accordingly on one of her trans-Atlantic phone calls. When we visited Victoria in 2013 she made us a tortilla in her flat…I thought I was paying attention to her precise method but can’t make my Spanish omelette taste like hers!
Love to all the family, take care and look after yourselves in these strange times.
My dearest Elysia, Carmen and family. I remember a delightful dinner with Avita in Victoria with Elysia, myself and our friend Andrea. She cooked us delicious food and charmed us with her good humour and joy. The love between Elysia and her Avita has always been a beautiful thing to witness.
Sending love to the family during this challenging time.