My brother Kevin and I are Marta’s nephews. We grew up transatlantic kids — living in London in the UK, we’d often spend our holidays at the Chepa family home in Hamilton. We’ve very fond memories of this time. Although Marta was a decade older than us, we were playmates and had a lot of fun together.

Marta epitomizes the best of a person with Down syndrome. She had an absolute purity of spirit and joyfulness, and an inquisitiveness and keenness to take part in whatever was going on. We’ve never seen a photo of Marta in which she isn’t laughing or smiling, and she often expressed her delight by dancing spontaneously. We don’t mean to sentimentalize Down syndrome, which of course was a challenge, but we can confidently say that anyone who spent time with her would fall at least a little bit in love with her, she was that charming and adorable.

The average lifespan of a person with Down syndrome is 47 years. Marta was 71 when she passed away, an extraordinary achievement for which we credit the love and care given unstintingly by her older sister, Olga. She was Marta’s caregiver for most of their adult lives, a profoundly intimate and mutually sustaining relationship. They were inseparable and our hearts break thinking about the pain such a loss is causing Ollie.

Ollie recently had a fall at home and was in respite care for a few weeks. The silver lining in this cloud was that I was drafted in to help look after Marta while Ollie recuperated. It was like Marta and I got to turn back the clock fifty years, laughing and having fun together just like we did when we were kids. When I’d get her food ready, she’d always offer me a forkful (we’re both chocaholics) and a sip of her drink, she was that considerate. I will cherish this time and these more recent memories, which in a pretty remarkable way brought the two us full circle.

From Kevin and myself: Thank you, Marta. We’re humbled by your sincerity and goodness, and are better people for having known you.

Markey-Dermody Funeral Home

Marta Chepa

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Marta Ann Chepa

23 July, 1950 – 21 September, 2021

Markey-Dermody Funeral Home

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