Obituary of Ineas Alfreda Mendonca

Ineas Alfreda Mendonca was born on July 26, 1915 in Groete Creek, Guyana, to Daisy Jacobs and Theophilus Mackie, the second of 7 children- Hilton, Lucille, Kenneth, Pauline, Vincent, and Joyce. Ineas was fond of her siblings, often speaking nostalgically about those she lost too soon and maintaining relationships with those still with us, particularly Kenneth, the last living member of the family, whom she spoke to weekly. Accustomed to large families, Ineas married Osmond Lucien Mondonca and built a family of 10 children- Ivor (deceased), Paula, Vibart, Compton, Carmel, Stanislaus, Brenda(Patsy), Jerome, Alvaro and Marilyn. In the pursuit of a better life, Ineas and Osmond bravely left their home country of Guyana and moved to Toronto, as a handful of their children did before them. Ineas understood the hardships of immigrating to a foreign place and tried to welcome, guide, and check on relatives and friends who immigrated to Canada after her.Ineas enjoyed cooking and baking, traits she passed onto her children, and would never let anyone leave her home without some food, a cup of tea, or a slice of dessert that she always had on-hand. She was known for her talent in the kitchen and frequently had visitors on her doorstep looking for a good meal and conversation. Ineas was a very social person, routinely meeting friends for coffee, assisting in her church’s Women’s group, and constantly chatting on the phone-- the busy signal was a common sound for anyone trying to reach her. Her husband once quipped that he should have a receiver attached to her head so he wouldn’t have to repeatedly get up to answer the (damn) phone!Despite creating a home in Canada, Ineas and Lucien frequently travelled to Guyana to escape the cold in winter months. Even after Lucien’s passing, Ineas continued to go home to visit her family and friends, always returning to her initial home with Lucien at 70 Brickdam. Never one to speak an unkind word, even in the face of hardship and discrimination, she was gracious to and forgiving of all. Her generosity and kindness were notorious, especially in Guyana as news of her arrival ensured she was met with a full house of guests and a steady stream of visitors. Ineas planned to return to Guyana this year, but was halted by the pandemic. Ineas was known by many names: Moms, Auntie Ineas, Cousin Ineas, Ms. I, Mrs. Mendonca, Granny- and she was the embodiment of each role. Her love as a mother was palpable; she took pride in her children and loved each of them individually. Always open and welcoming, her nieces, nephews, cousins and even her children’s friends were regular fixtures in her life. As such, they were accepted into her brood and received the same care and concern as her biological children. Naturally, she took to becoming a grandmother with ease, joy, and excitement as she watched 46 grandchildren, 66 great-grandchildren, and 15 great-great-grandchildren grow and succeed in living out their dreams*. Today, we lay Ineas’ body to rest but take comfort that she is with her mother, husband, son Ivor, and all the family members who passed before. She will forever be missed, but her memory will never fade. Her spirit is etched into her family’s hearts and, with every beat, she provides her strength, warmth and love to all that come after. May she rest in peace and be accepted into the Lord’s kingdom with a symphony of calypso leading her home. Web Address:https://distantlink.com/DLM93.htmlPassword : Arbor2020