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
Maria was one of our dearest friends. My first and lasting impression of her was that she was an extraordinary person possessing qualities that we most exalt, dignity and sincerity. These virtues she carried in the most effortlessly and as naturally as the fragrance of a flower in bloom.
Tere was my much beloved aunt. I remember her for her kindness warmth and compassion and her vitality. Living in England there weren’t many opprtunities to see Tere but she was over in England at several significant days of my life one being at the funeral of my husband Ian. On that day many words were said but l remember hers and am grateful and lucky she was there that day to give me some of her strength and compassion. I shall miss Tere very much. My thoughts have been with all the family’s relatives friends and my
Canadian cousins. Mucb love Frances
Madame Penty was a good friend of
Marie when both taught French. We both loved her very much.
Conocía a la familia Cachot a través del hermano de María Teresa, Vicepresidente de la Cámara de Comercio de Madrid, que vivía enfrente de mi casa, en Santa Cruz de Marcenado en Madrid. Luego, cuando me destinaron a Ottawa tuve la suerte de encontrarme una Oficina Comercial dirigida en la práctica con gran habilidad y simpatía por María Teresa. Recuerdo siempre su buen hacer diario, su simpatía con todos, su amabilidad, su eficiencia, su inteligencia y buenos consejos en alguna de las difíciles situaciones que pasamos y de las que la Oficina siempre salió airosa.
Pero no solo en lo profesional tengo que recordarla y alabarla, y eso que con ella en Ottawa, la Oficina fue como una segunda , grande y querida familia.
Además de una excelente profesional fue una persona llena de proximidad y cariño, a la que siempre he tenido muy cerca en mi amistad y mis recuerdos, aunque la vida se la llevo a Victoria, y a nosotros por el resto del mundo. Pero ella y sus hijas mayores fueron parte de mi propia familia y han estado y estarás siempre en mi recuerdo y en mi corazón.
Carmen; Jane, vosotras y vuestros hermanos podéis sentiros muy orgullosos de la gran persona que ha sido vuestra madre
A la Señora Tere, la conocí en Victoria en julio de 2011, cuando estudiaba inglés allá, nos conocimos en la Catedral de St Andrews, ella estaba como voluntaria los lunes de 13:00 a 15:00, desde un inicio me recibió con una cálida sonrisa y al preguntarme de donde era y saber que de México, comenzó a hablarme en español, diciéndome que era originaria de España, de ahí cada lunes hicimos consecutivas nuestras idas de lunch o café en Murrchies, siempre fue mi familia de Victoria, quien me llamaba y se preocupaba por mi, conoció a mi mamá, cada verano que volvía a Canada, nos veíamos, en alguna ocasión nos preparó su famosa paella a mi mamá y a mi y nosotras la llevamos a comer comida mexicana, siempre fue un amor de persona y un gran ejemplo a seguir. Festejamos su cumpleaños y el mío, me enseño tantas cosas, siempre la voy admirar.
Un beso y abrazo hasta el cielo Señora Tere. Siempre estará en mi corazón.
We had the pleasure of enjoying your Teresa’s company many times over the years. She was a dear friend of our Aunt Loreen. We will remember Teresa as a highly intelligent woman, with a zest for life and a wonderful sense of humor. I have no doubt that Teresa and Loreen are in heaven, up to their usual friendly bantering. We count our blessing to have know and enjoyed their company for many years.
I met Teresa several years ago on my first trip to Victoria to visit to Noah and Elysia. I felt as if I already knew her, from the many stories they had shared. What a blessing it was to gather around the table and share laughter, food and great conversation with Teresa , her children and grandchildren. Teresa lived a full life and gave so generously of her many gifts and talents to all she met. I will remember her wit, humor, wisdom and smile. The last time I saw Teresa was Several months ago in a video chat with her great grandson , Taise. The joy and laughter they were sharing together as Teresa talked with him lit up my soul . It is this picture of her I will keep in my heart. My thoughts and prayers are with all of her family. Teresa will be greatly missed .She has left a wonderful legacy in the beautiful family she raised, her grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Conocimos a Avita hace unos tres años en Victoria, recordamos su calidez, generosidad y amabilidad. Nos contó algunas historias, y dejó que Aidan y Jovan jugaran con una cabaña rompecabezas que había en su sala. Le deseamos buen viaje…
Andres
I know Avita from when I was younger, she was a very kind person. She was so loving and caring. love Aidan.
I am so very sorry for your loss. My sincere condolences to the family near and far.
I remember meeting Elysia’s Avita several times in Victoria. In particular, I remember meeting her in 2016 when I was newly engaged.
I just dug out my journal because I had written down her sage advice. Avita said to me, “This is your best job and the one to which you are most accountable. The other jobs are not. Measure your words. You cannot take them back”.
Such wisdom and delivered with humour and care! During our visits we had a great discussion about cannabis, love, travel – and then Avita served us homemade flan in her apartment. Wow, such a presence all in her 90s.
I am sending the family lots of hugs and love in this incredibly tough time. Take good care.
Aunt Tere
Tere was my mother’s best friend and her sister-in-law, the sister she never had. Mary (Williams) and Tere lived at opposite sides of the world, in England and Vancover/ Victoria, but they talked for hours on the phone right up until my mother died last year. On the rare occasions our families got together, we found a similar approach to the family kitchen and table, and delight in high decibel conversation and laughter.
They had a detailed knowledge – too detailed perhaps! – of each other’s families, children and grandchildren. We got an glimpse of this uncanny knowledge from time to time when one or other would make a reference to something or, more likely somebody, they couldn’t possibly know … my, how those wires hummed … She would write personal letters on special occasions and these showed the depth of her knowledge and engagement in our lives.
Tere loved and protected her family with a passion and her family reflected this love in their care for her to the last. Although she lived her life so far from ours in the UK, we all have a very strong sense of Aunt Tere as a very real presence in our lives. Nick and I were thrilled to be welcomed so warmly by the crew – Ros and Bruce, Arthur, Elysia and Noah in June 2019 when went to Victoria primarily to see Tere. She was, as ever, at the heart of the family life and table. She was in good form, and took me out for tea 1:1 in an elegant hotel round the corner.
Mary and Tere were almost exactly the same age when they died. Very long lives, very well lived. Tere will leave a huge hole in the lives of you all, but when you are able to get together you will have a lot to celebrate.
Kate Williams