Obituary of Rodney Fernandes

Surrounded by his family, Rodney Fernandes passed away peacefully on Saturday, July 4, 2020 at Brampton Civic Hospital after a courageous journey with cancer.He is survived by his loving wife Mildred Fernandes, daughters Stacy Lynn Morley (Ross), Kirsten Fernandes and loving first granddaughter Adalynn Morley. He will be dearly missed by siblings in Australia, Maryjeanne Marshall (Nino), Carol Powell (Geoff), Loretta Walford (Brian), Gerard Fernandes & Crist Fernandes. He will be lovingly remembered by his sister-in-law’s, brother-in-law’s, nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, grand-nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.Rodney was born to the late Lucy and Joe Fernandes on November 16th, 1956 in Karachi, Pakistan. Taking with him cherished memories from his birthplace he embarked on a new adventure in 1983 to Toronto, Canada and his “love you always” soulmate. Throughout his entire life, he held an unwavering faith in God, which he actively fostered among those who surrounded him. He awoke each morning giving thanks for another day. There was never a dull moment with him, traveling, exploring and daring his children to always try new things. An avid concertgoer, Rodney instilled his love of music in his family and always filled his home with everything from Country Music, Christian Worship, to Operatic Pop. Up until the end, his positive outlook and his unique sense of humour remained with him. He lived on his own terms and was ready to leave when the Lord called him into His eternal care. Of all the people he touched, his greatest joy in life was marrying his wife Mildred who supported him in all his glory during his heyday and was his greatest advocate throughout his bout with cancer. His proudest achievements were his two beautiful and accomplished daughters whom he readily supported in every dream and endeavour. For many years, his only “son” was his beloved Bichon Toby. Years later, he was overjoyed to welcome his son-in-law, Ross, into his heart and home. Ross having come from a family full of love and respect he was confident that his son-in-law would take care of his daughter. Lighting up his life from the moment of her birth, his granddaughter became his heart and joy. Though many of his proudest moments involved those spent with his family, he was always happy to share experiences with photos to highlight these magnificent and momentous occasions. His love for travel not only began in his early career with SAS but continued as he explored every continent. A world traveller, he made it a priority to consistently cross the globe to spend time with his family in Australia on numerous occasions. His desire to explore the world always brought him back to places rooted in faith such as the Holy Land, Fatima, Portugal, and Ephesus, Turkey. Amongst his many other explorations, he journeyed from the high plateaus of Machu Picchu to the wildlife of an African Safari to bathing of Elephants in Chiang Mai, Thailand to attending the CMA Music Festival in Nashville, Tennessee, not once but twice!Rodney’s dedication to his career was more a labour of love established over 30+ years at TD Bank. The friendships he developed made coworkers become like family to him. Many of whom expressed that they were blessed to have him in their lives. They will always remember “his impeccable dance moves, dapper work style, and his distinctive laugh.” He cared deeply for many and his friendships which spanned geography and various interests all stood the test of time. Among his friends, he always imparted signature phrases like “God is Great!” which were empowering while others brought a chuckle to a moment of extreme seriousness. Rodney’s favourite time of year was Christmas where every nook and cranny was festooned with decor. In the summertime, he loved and insisted that all appreciate the outdoors where he tended to his lawn and beautiful flowers. His garden was rich with colour much like his life. He often enjoyed a glass of red wine or a good scotch, talking politics and CNN, had exceptional style, and was a classy dresser.Though Rodney’s time on earth was limited he made sure to live a full life and his regrets were few. Please raise a glass and share a few stories of the great Rodney Fernandes.In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Canadian Cancer Society. Due to the current situation, while Mass and internment will be held privately, drive-thru visitation on Friday, July 10th from 5-8pm is unlimited and open to all. Please comply with the Brampton Funeral Home safety protocols. A portion of the visitation will be livestreamed on Friday, July 10th beginning at approximately 5p.m.This service will be livestreamed Saturday July 11th beginning at approximately 11 am. http://distantlink.com/dlm23.html Password: Arbor2020