Fernande Gervais Crisafi

It is with deep sorrow and much love that we mourn the passing of Fernande Gervais Crisafi at the age of 76 years after a very difficult and lengthy illness. She is survived by her husband, Leonardo; children Kenny and Linda and their spouses Joyce and Joe; grandchildren Jason , Olivia and Shayne ; sister Louise and her spouse Robert. She also leaves behind her sisters-in-law Rosa (Australia) Giovanna, Antonia, Rosa (Sudbury) and all the many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

It would be wrong to say that Fern lost her battle because she never stopped fighting. No matter how sick she was, she was always determined. When anyone else would have broken, she stayed strong. Through her, we know what resilience and perseverance look like. Just because she is no longer here, it doesn’t mean she lost her fight. She is finally at peace and her struggles have come to an end. Even though she is gone, she has left a legacy of her love and perseverance. The many ways she touched our lives will remain in our hearts.

She cared deeply for her family and her dogs. She was never at a loss for words and always had a way of making you feel exactly what she was saying. She was pure in her exchanges and simplistic in her love. It was unconditional and unwavering. She always wanted what she felt was best for those around her.

She made our house a home and always kept her family close. She enjoyed the gatherings during the holidays, going above and beyond to serve a special meal. She loved to cook and was always willing to try new things. She took great pride in nurturing her flowers and plants as she enjoyed the satisfaction of seeing the result of her labor grow and come to fruition. The nurturing of living things is what helped to bring beauty and peace to her world. She had an incredible talent to create beautiful things. There’s no denying that we could see her entire life in all that she had and all that she did as her home displays all the many articles of her different creations, resulting from her many hobbies and interests. Before her world became so quiet, we could always hear her singing or humming along to her favorite songs.

Many of us get distracted by insignificant things in life. We brood and focus on our little problems and for what is most important. For everything that she went through, she managed to keep her priorities straight. She leaves us with a wonderful legacy and a wonderful example to follow: Keep focused on what is truly important, not only when your life is easy, but when it is difficult too. Fight for what you believe in and don’t ever give up.

May she rest in peace.