Born April 7, 1940, in Fonte De Aldeia, Tras-os-Montes, Portugal, Antonio passed away peacefully on January 27, 2022, in Surrey, BC. Predeceased by his loving wife of over 40 years, Maria, he is survived by his children Valter (Jocelyn) and Luisa, and granddaughter Adrianna.
Living under a harsh dictatorship with limited opportunities forced Antonio to venture out into the world at an early age. After three years in the Portuguese army, Antonio earned an international passport and immigrated to Germany, Australia, and finally where he would call home, Canada. During those difficult years, Antonio worked hard and succeeded in learning new languages, skills, and way of life.
In Kitimat, Antonio and Maria prospered and raised a family in a close-knit community and made countless life-lifelong friends. He was very proud of being a Portuguese - Canadian and a strong Transmontano. Retiring after 35 years of service with Eurocan Pulp and Paper, Antonio and Maria moved to Vancouver to begin a new chapter in their lives. In Antonio’s later years, he found great joy in being a kid again with his granddaughter, gardening, hosting barbeques, walking “companheiro” Dexter, and frequent trips to Portugal.
Antonio fought a courageous battle against cancer and was strong right to the end. Our family was very fortunate to spend his last months with him, truly appreciating the special and amazing person he was. Antonio was well known for being kind, positive, and having a generous spirit that made him an instant friend to many.
His passing leaves a huge hole in our family, but we are comforted in knowing Antonio is at peace and his spirit and our memories of him are never far away. Our deepest gratitude to Dr. Oja and the staff at Laurel Place Hospice for their incredible support and kindness to our father and family. In lieu of flowers, we ask donations be made to the Surrey Hospice Society or your favourite charity in memory of Antonio.
Descansa em paz o nosso querido Antonio, que o ceu brilhe com a tua luz.