Alice Theresa Britto

BRITTO, Alice Theresa (née Botelho) - Passed away peacefully, surrounded by her loving family, at the Greater Niagara General Hospital on Friday, October 25, 2013 at the age of 82. Beloved wife of 55 years to Michael Britto. Loving and devoted mother of Malcolm (Sylvia) Britto, Anthea (Dan) Murrell and Marwin (Sarah) Britto. Cherished grandmother of Kenneth and Vanessa Murrell, Marcello, Kiara, Dante, Roman and Marah Britto. Dear sister of Orlando (Elizabeth) Botelho and Frederick (Grace) Botelho and sister-in-law of Josephine Botelho. Predeceased by her brother Gilbert Botelho. Alice Botelho was born in Goa (Portuguese India) on June 17th, 1931, the eldest of four siblings. She attended a British boarding school in Bombay and then studied at Sophia College in Mumbai. After receiving her BA/B.Ed., she rejoined her family in Nairobi, Kenya where she taught at Dr. Ribeiro Goan School. There she met her future husband, Michael Britto who was teaching at the same school. They were married at St. Francis Xavier Church in Nairobi on Easter Monday, April 7, 1958. The couple with son Malcolm and daughter Anthea, moved to England in 1963. While in the UK, she taught at a local high school while her husband studied at London University. The family returned to Nairobi, where son Marwin was born. Alice taught at St. Theresa's school and Michael taught at Parklands School. In 1969, Alice and Michael Britto and family immigrated to Canada, and settled in Niagara Falls, Ontario where they have lived ever since. In Niagara Falls, Alice taught at Carmel Senior Elementary and later at St. Thomas More Elementary School until her retirement after 22 years of teaching for the Welland County Separate School Board. Throughout her long teaching career, Alice was a devoted teacher always seeking the best from her students. She was also an avid and passionate gardener and loved to give tours of her garden - naming each plant and flower. She was a very active member of the Our Lady of the Scapular Church, serving as a Eucharistic minister, lector and in RCIA. She was a member of the Legion of Mary, the Canadian Federation of University Women, and avidly played bridge in recent years. She also enjoyed spending time with her gourmet cooking and university book club members. Despite all of these accomplishments, Alice was perhaps most proud of her three children. She was a supportive and doting mother and a loving grand-mother. She relished her grandmother role and will be sorely missed by her 3 children and 7 grand-children alike. Friends are invited to visit the PATTERSON FUNERAL HOME, 6062 Main St. on Tuesday, October 29, 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. with her Vigil held at 3:30 pm. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated Wednesday at 11 am at Our Lady of the Scapular Church. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Canadian Diabetes Association or the Kidney Foundation of Canada on behalf of Alice Britto.