Obituary of Nina Burford (nee Siqueira Vaz)

October 28, 1932 - Raia, Goa, India

October 22, 2022 - Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Nina Burford passed away peacefully on Saturday, October 22, 2022 at the age of 89 surrounded by her four children.

Nina was born in Goa, which was then a Portuguese territory, on the southwestern coast of India. She grew up speaking Konkani and Portuguese and learnt English when she entered high school. Later in life, she expanded her linguistic portfolio to include French and Spanish. She enrolled in university in Bombay and graduated with a Bachelor of Education (B. Ed.) majoring in English and Mathematics.

In 1958, she married Braz Athaide and together they had four children, Marita, Judith, Melba, and Brian. Nina and Braz worked in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh and made the decision to immigrate to Canada to raise their children in a stable democracy where opportunities are meritocracy based. Braz left for Canada in 1970; Nina and the four children followed in 1972. Unfortunately, the marriage did not survive the separation and the stresses of immigrating; Nina and Braz separated in 1976.

Despite having been a principal and teacher for almost two decades, she returned to university to earn certification as a Canadian B. Ed., graduating in 1978. With her Canadian B. Ed, she worked as a teacher at the Peguis First Nation School in Manitoba and later at the Montreal Lake Cree Nation in Saskatchewan.

In 1981, Nina married Alfred Burford and moved to Labrador City, NL to start the next chapter of her life. She was welcomed as a full-time teacher by the Fermont, QC and Labrador City, NL school boards. She retired from full-time teaching in 1991 but continued to support the school boards through substituting teaching.

Nina embraced life in Canada. She spent winters curling, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling, and summers fishing, camping, off-roading, and motor-biking with Al across Canada and the US.

Nina was a strong believer in giving to her community. She joined, and organized, choir and music festivals. She served on the national Board of the Canadian Breast Cancer Network representing Newfoundland and Canada at various global conferences, as a member of the Scientific Peer Review Community in Canada and the breast cancer research project of the US Department of Defense. Her community commitments extended to chairing numerous provincial curling championship tournaments, serving as the President of the Menihek Women’s Liberal Commission and Director on the Menihek District Liberal Association.

Nina was a renaissance woman. She loved designing jewelry and was an outstanding seamstress. Her projects included graduation and wedding dresses for her daughters, baptism and First Communion dresses for her grandchildren and collaborating with Al to design and build a rocking horse, sled, furniture and more for the grandchildren.

After retiring from teaching, she expanded her horizons by travelling with her children and grandchildren to Cambodia, Columbia, Italy, Laos, Mexico, Morocco, Philippines, Romania, Russia, Tunisia, Thailand, Venezuela, Vietnam and more.

While she loved designing, sewing and travel, her primary love was her family. She never missed an opportunity to support them and celebrate their milestones. She surprised her eldest granddaughter, Dariana, by flying in to celebrate her kindergarten graduation.

Nina is survived by her children, Marita (Herman), Judith (Haithem), Melba (Kelvin), and Brian (Mary); her grandchildren, Dariana, Rhiannon, Narisse, Mihaela, Dylan, Brett, Serena, and Kaiella; and numerous nieces, nephews, and extended family across the globe. Nina was predeceased by her husband Al, her parents, Thomas and Emilia Siqueira Vaz; and her siblings, Flavia, Francis, Albert, Clovis, Joaquim, Bossuet, Salazar, Marta, and Lumena.

Funeral Services will be held at McInnis & Holloway (Park Memorial, 5008 Elbow Drive SW, Calgary, AB) on Saturday, October 29, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. Reception to follow in the Hospitality Centre at the Funeral Home. Graveside Service to follow at Queen's Park Cemetery. Condolences, memories, and photos can also be shared and viewed here.

Nina was a three-time breast cancer survivor. If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made directly to the Canadian Breast Cancer Network – 185 Somerset St. West, Suite 318. Ottawa, ON, K2P 0J2. Telephone: 1-800-685-8820. https://www.cbcn.ca/en/

Nina’s family would like to thank the staff at Prominence Way Retirement Community where she spent twenty months in their care, Intercare Chinook Care Center where she spent the last eighteen months of her life and the Rockyview General Hospital who supported her in the last few days on her life. Your kindness and compassion to her will never be forgotten.

In living memory of Nina Burford, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Park Memorial, 5008 Elbow Drive SW, Calgary, AB T2S 2L5, Telephone: 403-243-8200.