Polly passed away peacefully at the Peter Lougheed Santuari Hospice on Monday January 23, 2012 at the age of 84 years. Polly is lovingly remembered by her children, Joyce (Jimmy) Flynn, Lisa (Rad) Teekasing, Tara (Peter) Unwin, Margaret (Brian) Werezak-O’Reilly, Shelly (Paul) Ephgrave, Indra-Asha (Al) Ross, Tony (Lori) Teekasingh, Ann Teekasingh, Suzanne (Blaine) Jackle, as well as 11 grandchildren Alex Flynn, James and Stephen Unwin, Clinton and Hayden Werezak, Carla and Nicole Ephgrave, Stuart and Mathew Teekasingh, Davin and Lance Jackle, and 11 great grandchildren Random, Corwin, Morrigan and Cordelia Flynn, Nina and Eric Unwin, Alma Unwin, Lucy and Lalaith Werezak, Ocean and River Olsen. She is also survived by three brothers and three sisters in Trinidad.
Polly (Phoolmatee) was born to Bhola and Babuni Maharaj, July 10, 1927, in Friendship Village, Golconda, Trinidad, West Indies. At a young age Polly left school to help raise her six siblings which included 3 brothers and 3 sisters. It was during this time that Polly began to develop her extraordinary cooking skills. At age 14, Polly met and married her husband Sookraj Teekasingh and soon was raising her own family in Tarouba Road, Marabella. Together they had 14 children, 9 of which survived which included 8 girls and one boy. Although Polly was married at a young age, she adjusted to living within an extended family as was tradition and though hardships were many; she exhibited strength and courage in times of adversity.
At the age of 55, Polly moved to Calgary with her youngest daughters Ann and Susan.
She spent many years working in various fields of work. Coming from a rural community where the focus was agriculture; gardening was one of her main joys and she was quick to inform us of her expert rice planting and sugar cane cutting activities when we started whining about the failure of our vegetable gardens in Calgary. Polly was a great cook; her dhalpouri rotis were renowned and she catered for the West Indian community here in Calgary eventually becoming the main chef for Island Experience Restaurant in Kensington. Her grandchildren fondly called her ‘Grandma Roti’ and she has maintained a level of expertise and success in cooking that try as we might, none of her children have been able to match or surpass. Raising nine children with minimal resources, she also had the talent of making delicious and nutritious meals out of every possible vegetable known.
During her life Polly travelled extensively to various parts of the world including England, Paris, Iceland, multiple trips home to Trinidad, both coasts of the United States, Hawaii, and Canada. Polly will be dearly remembered for many wonderful traits including her kindness, bright warm smile, generosity, her hats, her stylish dressing, her story-telling and her superior cooking skills.
A Funeral Service will be held at FOSTER’S GARDEN CHAPEL, 3220 – 4 Street N.W., Calgary (across from Queen’s Park Cemetery) on Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made directly to the Alzheimer Society of Alberta, 201, 222 – 58 Avenue S.W., Calgary, AB T2H 2S3. Expressions of sympathy may be forwarded to the family via the website www.fostersgardenchapel.ca.
FOSTER'S GARDEN CHAPEL
FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATORIUM
Telephone: 403-297-0888
Honoured Provider of Dignity Memorial
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