Words cannot express how saddened we are to announce the passing of Raffaelina Borello, wife, mother, nonna, sister and friend.
Predeceased by her loving mother Maria, father Francesco, brother Luigi and grandson Xavier-Isaac. She will be missed by her devoted husband Bruno of 47 years, children Dolores (Thomas), Maria-Francesca, Sandro (Paola) and her adoring grandchildren Chiara and Philipp.
Born in Amato, Catanzaro Italy, she came to Canada together with her mother and brother to join her father in Vancouver. Raffaelina was our rock, our inspiration, our guide – we remember her immeasurable joy for life and the strength and grace she summoned to meet her death. She was nurturing, wise, inventive, tireless and generous. Raffaelina’s most profound gift to the world was that she won the hearts of all those that knew her. To say she was sociable would be an understatement. Our mother absolutely loved to entertain family and friends. She was genuinely a people person with many fond acquaintances, admiring co-workers and best friends she made along the way. Mom had a special way of looking for the humor in a bad situation and uncovering the irony and absurdity of life. She always had a humorous anecdote to make others laugh, leaving a trail of happiness wherever she went.
Raffaelina was a devoted parishioner of Saint Francis of Assisi Church with her preferred pew being front row, so as to enjoy an unobstructed view of the Blessed Mother Mary. Serving others was a way of life for mom. She was always willing to humbly volunteer at church whether it was upgrading the flower beds in the garden, organizing prayer groups or preparing food for the parish dinners, her faith only increased with her devoted service. She was proud to have served as president of the Society of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. This was a great honour for her, as she relished working alongside fellow parishioners in passing on a legacy of service to the next generation. We all benefited from mom’s good humour, vitality, and advice. We will we miss her boundlessly, and forever.
We would like to thank all who came to visit mom during her last days to share affection, prayers and memories.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Francis of Assisi Parish, 2025 Napier Street in Vancouver on Saturday, September 21, 2019 at 12 noon. Private entombment will follow.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Francis of Assisi Church in Raffaelina’s memory.
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Raffaelina Borello..
Death notice for the town of: Vancouver, Province: Colombie britanique
Dear Uncle Bruno, Dolores, Maria, Sandro & family,
Please accept my sincere condolences on the loss of your beloved wife, mother & nonna, Zia Ruffaelina. One of my fondest memories was when I was a 5-year-old girl in Nelson and it was an exciting day because we were going to get to see Uncle Bruno from Vancouver (always fun!) and he was bringing his new bride to visit. I thought Zia Ruffaelina was the most beautiful lady I had ever seen! She was beautiful inside and out and always had a kind word for me. I am truly sorry for your loss and am thinking about all of you during this great time of grief.
With love, Rosemary Bell (Chirico)