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An
appreciation:
Ignaciana (Iggy) Antao.
| Iggy
was the daughter of Anna Maria and Diogo Manuel Antao.
She was a sister to Seraphino, Philomena, Rosario,
Joe and Leo.
Iggy
studied at the Star of the Sea School, Mombasa and
excelled in sports and athletics. Being a lively,
uninhibited extrovert, she was popular both with
her peer group and the staff. I am a witness to
this as Iggy was one of my pupils and I feel moved
to write this tribute as a teacher who was privileged
to become her friend. She was in the class of 1961
when she passed her Senior Cambridge. She started
work at Landing and Shipping, Mombasa and when her
family moved to Goa in 1965 she worked with Banco
Nacional Ultramarino at their head office in Margao.
In
1975 Iggy emigrated to France (Paris) where her
determination to succeed saw her through the hardships
of learning French and finding employment as well
as bringing up, single handedly, her three young
children - Vincent 9, Celestine 8 and Nativity 5.
When she qualified, she worked as a translator for
various organisations until she joined IBM in 1983.
Her expertise as a translator gained her a position
as a graphic secretary to a group of managers of
the Northern Region. She took early retirement in
1996.
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her stay in Paris, Iggy participated in the
teaching of English to pre-school groups and
was also actively involved in events for the
handicapped. Iggy was a true Goan at heart and
she missed the Goan environment and people.
Hence she revisited Goa frequently and more
so when she retired. In Paris she attended the
Goan functions and later made special trips
to attend similar functions in London.
In
spite of the hardships she encountered, Iggy's
top priority was her role as Mum. Her commitment
to the support and guidance of her family
was a challenge she carried out with love
and devotion right into her final days. She
was a loving and caring mother to Vincent,
Celestine and Nativity and equally a loving
and understanding mother-in-law to Tina and
Daniel. To her grandchildren Jesse, Lucas,
Emma, Nicolas and Christian, she was "the
greatest grandma in the world". Iggy
was close to her family and made frequent
trips to the UK to be with her sister, brothers
and their families. Her friends will remember
her as a fun loving, outgoing individual with
a dogged determination to overcome obstacles
no matter how challenging.
Iggy
will be missed by all those whose lives she
touched. May the good and merciful Lord grant
her eternal peace.
Jane
D'Souza
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