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Folks, This is from the "Lives Lived" section of The Globe and Mail, Toronto. Mervyn2.0 ------------------- Phyllis Athaide Tuesday, October 19, 2004 - Page A24 Sportswoman, art enthusiast, wife, mother, community activist. Born Aug. 6, 1914, in Bombay, India. Died Aug. 1 in Mississauga of natural causes, aged 89. Born into the de Lima family, Phyllis, the fifth of 11 children, had a happy childhood. The first chapter of her life involved sports, particularly tennis, badminton and table tennis. One of Bombay's best at all three sports from 1935 to 1942, she won more than 400 trophies in singles, doubles, and mixed-doubles tournaments, including several titles in the western India badminton championship, and was all-India table-tennis champion in 1939. Although she had no opportunity to compete overseas, Phyllis partnered and played against world champions in those sports when they visited Bombay. The second chapter in her life saw Phyllis primarily as devoted wife and mother. Using her education and talent in art, she accepted a position as an art teacher in Karachi, where she met and fell in love with Alexander Athaide, a sportsman of some repute in field hockey, cricket and badminton. They married in 1943. During the ensuing four years, Phyllis and Alec had three children, Lalita, Romesh and Shanti. The partition of India in 1947 led to the third chapter in Phyllis's life. Faced with the choice of staying in Pakistan or moving to India, Alec and Phyllis opted for the latter. The family moved to Bombay in 1948. Their two-bedroom apartment also became home to Alec's parents and, for a while, Alec's sister and aunt. A fourth child, Dileep, was born in 1949. >From 1948 until 1964, Phyllis managed this household with domestic help. She ensured that her children received a musical education and worked part-time as a life-insurance sales agent. Phyllis also found the time to compete in sports, got involved in the community, including management of the local gymkhana, and even took a leading role in Hamlet in a local drama competition. Hoping for a better life for their children, Phyllis and Alec moved to Canada in 1964, starting the next chapter in Phyllis's life. Travelling by ship, the family, including Alec's 88-year-old father, arrived in Montreal. Nearly 50, Phyllis ran the home and contributed to the family income by supply teaching and selling encyclopedias. Alec returned to university, completed a degree in education, and taught high school for a while. Then they decided to go into business, and Phyllis assisted Alec in starting an import-export firm. Recognizing the need for community association, Phyllis organized several community gatherings. With Ed Martyres, she co-founded the Indo-Pakistan Christian Association, which later changed its name to the Canorient Christian Association. It operates today with chapters in several major cities in Canada. Alec, as always, supported Phyllis in this venture as a silent partner. With three of her children having moved on to form families of their own in Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver, Phyllis and Alec moved to Mississauga in 1981 to live with their daughter Shanti. This final chapter of life in retirement included helping raise a grandson. Always the organizer, Phyllis started an annual family picnic that continues today. She was an active member of the Meadowvale seniors club, running its carpet-bowling program, until short-term memory loss and other ailments prevented her from continuing. Alec passed away in 2002. Phyllis leaves behind her family of four children and their spouses, 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren with a legacy of accomplishments and contributions to community driven by love, endless energy, enthusiasm, and faith. Romesh Athaide Romesh Athaide is Phyllis Athaide's son. ______________________________________________________________________ Post your free ad now! http://personals.yahoo.ca
