Tribute

Sunday, November 29, 2015, Mrs. Madalena Cardoso passed away in her residence at Lakeview Lodge, West Kelowna, at the age of 88 years. She passed peacefully, following a recent sudden decline after years with Vascular Dementia. She was predeceased by her husband of 45 years, Manuel Cardoso (16/05/26 – 12/11/88), and her son, eldest child, Tino Cardoso (15/12/45 – 27/02/2015). She is lovingly remembered by many. She is survived by her daughter & husband, Dina & Peter Godwin; daughter-in-law, Dulce Cardoso; granddaughter & family, Deanna & Shawn Thorsteinsson including great-grandchildren: Tahmara (23), Christopher (20), Jet (19) & Tiawna (17); granddaughter & family, Tracy Guerreiro & Colin Naso with their young son, great-grandchild: Daniel (21 months); grandson & family, Jason Guerreiro with twin daughters, great-grandchildren: Jessica (21) & Melissa (21); sisters, Adelina & Natevidade Martins; sisters-in-laws, Isabel & Irene Martins; and many nieces and nephews. Madalena was born in Setubal, Estremadura, Portugal, where she met and married the love of her life, Manuel, with whom she had two children. She immigrated to Vancouver, BC, Canada, with her daughter, in 1961, joining her husband who had come earlier in 1957 and her son who had arrived in 1958. Madalena first went to work at 17 in Praias do Sado, Portugal, sewing jute bags at Sapec, a farming industry chemical company. Later she joined her husband in his parents family business, becoming a Tavern Keeper in Praias do Sado, Portugal, cooking, serving, cleaning and taking care of all necessary operational business tasks. Once in Canada, Madalena worked in a janitorial capacity at the Vancouver General Hospital, in Vancouver, BC, Canada (1964-1966). She quit her work there and soon after she and her husband opened a small Grocery Store, to which they later added a Coffee Shop/Restaurant in Vancouver (1966-1968). As the owner/operator her roles included being the store clerk & restaurant cook. Moving from Vancouver to Langley, Madalena and her husband began a new business called Cardoso Contracting. She maintained all bookkeeper/secretarial tasks for their building contractor company from 1969-1988. Yet with all her hard work over the years, her greatest fulfilment came from being a wife of 45 years, mother of 2, grandmother of 3 (playing a primary role in raising her granddaughter Tracy), and great-grandmother of 7. She enjoyed gardening, sewing, crochet and reading. She was grateful for the many travels shared with her husband in their motorhome. They traveled extensively throughout BC, took numerous trips, often inviting family & friends along, to various US destinations including: Oregon, California & Arizona, and occasionally entering Mexico. They drove across Canada from Vancouver to Montreal, into the US to New York, to take the QEII Cruise Ship over a 5 day journey to Bordeaux (France), driving across France and Spain, with various stops along the way, to Portugal, which they also traveled through extensively. Over the years, they made numerous trips to Portugal, some of which included visits to Spain & France. When her husband was the president of the Portuguese Club in Vancouver, BC, she volunteered with raffle ticket sales through their store, managed event organizing and event cooking. After her husband’s passing Madalena moved to Osoyoos in 1990, where she lived until 2004, at which time she moved to Mackenzie, BC, to be with her granddaughter. In 2013 she returned to the Okanagan, moving to West Kelowna, where her granddaughter had relocated. Everywhere she has been, Madalena touched lives with her sweet smile, loving disposition and kind heart. Prayers will be recited at 7:00 P.M. Wednesday December 9, 2015 at the Nunes-Pottinger Funeral Chapel, 5855 Hemlock Street, Oliver, BC. A funeral mass will be celebrated by Fr. Dave DeSouza at 11:00 A.M. Thursday December 10, 2015 at St. Anne’s Catholic Church, Osoyoos, BC. Condolences and tributes may be directed to the family by visiting www.nunes-pottinger.com. Donations may be made in Madalena’s memory to: Alzheimer’s Association; Heart & Stroke Foundation; Vancouver Children’s Hospital. Arrangements entrusted to Nunes-Pottinger Funeral Service & Crematorium, Oliver & Osoyoos.