Obituary of Lena Agnes D'Andrea

March 16, 1922 – Michel, British Columbia

April 6, 2023 – Calgary, Alberta

Lena D’Andrea (nee Marchi), of Calgary, AB, passed away on Thursday, April 6, 2023 at the age of 101 years.

Lena was born in the small town of Michel B.C. and grew up in a small house on the side of a mountain where the Alexander River ran at its base. She loved her early years living in a two-bedroom house with her mother and father, sister and brother. She picked coal from the train tracks, picked mushrooms and blue berries from strategic locations in the meadows. Later in 1940’s, she married her soul mate Sante D’Andrea.  They moved to Coleman and later to Lethbridge where she and her husband started their own business. Lena was never one to sit, but always kept busy. The neighbors who knew her would comment “Lena, do you ever sit down?”  She seldom did.  She enjoyed the daily work of making meals and doing housework.  Baking was her forte, butter horns, cinnamon buns, and many other wonderful treats.

Her most treasured experiences came from the raising of her two children, Wayne and Sharon. Along with helping her husband with the business or planting a yearly garden, she would then spend her evenings sewing special dresses for Sharon or pants for Wayne. She was never ever too tired to help them with their school studies. As the years passed and the kids finished their university, got married and settled in Calgary. Sharon had married Louis and Wayne had married Silvia. With their children and now grandchildren, Paul and Candice and Marc and Adam, all in Calgary a move for the grandparents ensued.

During their retirement years, Lena and Sante relished spending time with the grandchildren and watched them grow. Since the elementary school was close by, she would so look forward to Marc and Adam who would often spend their lunch hour at Lena’s table, eating the freshly baked bread and homemade soups along with a special milkshake. From Lena’s house they could hear the school bell and would quickly put their jackets and shoes on and run to the school before the second school bell rang. And it was similar with her other two grandchildren Candice and Paul.  She always made time for the older ones.  Helping with meals or their studies or even just lending a sympathetic ear to the woes and troubles of adolescence. In fact, Lena was happiest when she knew she could help her family in any way with a smile and without judgment.

Time marched on as it does, and the grandchildren inevitably grew up.  Lena and Sante spent much of their time in their flower beds, mulching, raking, and planting until the whole yard looked like a picture from Home and Garden magazine. Often the families would visit Lena and Sante. They cherished birthdays, Christmases, and other special occasions. Lena was always ready to help. And so, Father time continued to march on. In 2009, Lena lost her lifetime partner Sante who passed away at the age of 97.  Ever the optimist, Lena too marched on spending even more time with her family, loving them with all her heart and soul. In 2015 great-grandchildren began to appear, Zander and Sienna from Candice and Ben, and Teddi, Tully and Rocky from Paul and Sarah giving Lena even more joy. She lit up whenever Zander, Sienna, Teddi, and Tully would come to visit. In February 2023 little Rocky appeared, but unfortunately Lena did not have a chance to meet him.  Lena celebrated her 101^th birthday just this past March 16, 2023.  In retrospect she had spent almost all of her 101 years in relatively good health and in her own home. Her house was only a short walk to each of her children’s homes.  Wayne and Sharon always included her in their daily activities and cherished her company every single day.

In living memory of Lena D’Andrea, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Fish Creek, 14441 Bannister Road SE, Calgary, Ab t2x 3j3, Telephone: 403-256-9575.