Class of '62

May 7, 1945 - Aug 29, 2019

It is with deep sorrow we announce the death of Antoinette De Souza on August 29, 2019. Beloved wife of the late Lewis De Souza, doting mother of Heather-Gail De Souza and daughter of the late Mick Abreo and late Lily Abreo.

The funeral service will be held at Consolata Shrine, Westlands, Nairobi, on Saturday 7th September, 2019 at 10:00 a.m., followed by cremation at 12:00 noon at Kariokor Hindu Crematorium. No flowers please.

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A True Love Story, A Broken Heart

As a young girl growing up, I watched my mum from the corner of my eye with her designer shoes and handbags, her perfectly groomed nails, and her constant array of new outfits, hoping I would secretly turn out like her. What I didn’t realise at the time was that I was learning to be like her.

Mum worked for Kenya Airways and, as a result, I was in the privileged position of being able to travel the world from the day I was born. Through these experiences, my mother gifted me her passion for travel and I eagerly embraced it with both hands.

My parents were inseparable. They had the same hobby - travel. That was their game. In the earlier years, they each travelled on business trips alone, and more recently, my mum was more an executive assistant to my dad on his marketing trips abroad.

In the early days when dad was starting up the family business, Mum would regularly whisk me away to London, Bombay, Australia and the US – just the two of us. Mum took me to Goa one time to her village Tivim & Mapusa, once showing me off telling everyone I was her daughter and that she was Lily’s and Mick’s daughter. It was so exciting. While we were away, she would teach me about how to live, how to shop for the home, and we always brought back beautiful products for us all to enjoy. She would tell me, ‘Travel is the best teacher’.

Although she was a director of Visit Africa Ltd., she never interfered with the business, preferring to stand by me and encourage me, as I built my confidence in the world of safari tourism operations. I confided a lot in her even with my petty problems at times. She always listened and offered me her sage advice and unwavering support.

When I moved to the UK to study, mum spent 10 years between UK and Nairobi, sharing her time with dad and me. She worked part time while visiting me and always got better jobs than me, always with parking included. I was so impressed by this! Here again she would make sure I had everything I needed – buying me the goodies I deprived myself of, such as salmon.

She took me to University, handed me a 50 pound currency note and said, “You have a bank account, you know how to use it.” This was one of my scariest moments in life after the roller coaster ride as a child in Disney Land. My friends and even the hostel warden thought my mum was a student at the University, when she came to stay as she always looked her best and young. It was mum who encouraged me to do my Masters abroad, and I thank her for this. I thank her for making me what I am today !

I was brought up to love dogs and people. My parents’ network of friends reaches all corners of the world. I can’t count how many of their classmates and friends have reached out to me during this past week. More recently, mum became somewhat of a Facebook and WhatsApp expert, which allowed her to stay in touch with her friends and family.

Mum was a good cook. She loved the finer things in life, yet she was so simple and unassuming. She was elegant in her own way, setting the table with the finest crockery and cooking us Cordon Bleu meals. She would cater for 30 people at a time single-handedly. She loved to entertain around a beautifully set table.

After dad’s passing, mum cried every day, and I regularly reassured her that she would be ok. I am not sure she believed me that she could see her way without my dad. She gave up, and I wish she could have been that strong woman I knew, when I was born. I always remember thinking she lost her dad at 18, and how lucky I was to have my parents, not knowing i would lose them both in the same year.

I have very few words this time round. I have some very dear friends supporting me.

I would not have been able to stand here today if it were not for my godfather Olly, his wife Mel, my dad’s brother Simon, his sister Pam and their families and my nutter friends, my mum’s first cousins and, of course, my strongest supporter Clive, whom my parents loved and trusted always.

RIP mum. I know you are happy with dad. Fly now fly ! Please watch over me always. I hope your love never died and you continue to love as you did – for yours was one love story that we will not forget. I will miss our chats. I love you.

Heather-Gail De Souza

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Memories of Antoinette

It is with a sense of profound sadness and grief that we share this recollection of a beloved, dearest friend .... Antoinette De Souza.

Our 50 year friendship with Antoinette and her beloved husband Lewis certainly withstood the test of time. In Nairobi, from the early 70’s to 1992, when we emigrated to Canada, we met almost every evening, spending hours together just chilling, joking and laughing. Our guests got their ‘cue’ that they had to go home, when Mike stood up, and started drawing the curtains , which, invariably, was never before 11 pm - But the truth is, we never ran out of conversation. We travelled to all the Game Parks and Lodges together, enjoyed several fishing trips and picnics, and our incredible journey and remarkable and unique friendship only blossomed and flourished. We were inseparable – shared a common, irreparable bond; we understood each other, supported each other, broke bread together, and most of all, we loved each other unconditionally. Our kids and Heather were school mates and best friends.

We also had a host of other friends visiting almost daily, and our home was more of a Club. We played darts, we played cards, we listened to music, we had cookouts, and come Mondays, we were already planning our entertainment for the weekends! Invariably we used to attend the Dances and fun activities at both the Goan Gym and the Goan Institute. One year, Mike decided to organize a 31st Dance at the late Steve Fernandes's ‘Makini School Hall’, and with the help and support of all our dearest friends, this New Year’s occasion was, by far, the most enjoyable and fun event EVER! The dinner was catered by the New Stanley Hotel, and Lewis and Antoinette offered to prepare breakfast for the entire crowd in the wee hours of the morning – a real Team effort! It was also a ‘given’, that Antoinette and Lewis would host a huge gathering of friends at their lovely home on Elgeyo Marakwet Road every New Year’s Day. No matter how exhausted they were following the New Year’s Eve function, mere hours before, Antoinette and Lewis entertained in style, and they were both perfectionists.

Antoinette was a phenomenal cook, and Lewis took pride in making sure his guests' every need was taken care of. I’m sure many of you who have had the privilege of indulging in Antoinette’s bebinca’s will testify to their taste, consistency and texture. She loved trying out new recipes, and had no qualms in sharing them. If Antoinette liked and trusted you, she made it pretty obvious that she accepted you as her lifelong friend, and her caring and compassion knew no bounds.

When Antoinette’s Mum, Lily Abreo, passed away in 2004, Antoinette’s heart was broken. Mrs Abreo lived with Antoinette, Lewis and Heather, and they left no stone unturned to ensure her well being at all times and that she was blessed with the simple pleasures of life.

When Lewis was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, Antoinette was crushed and devastated, and her world literally fell apart. Initially, she found comfort and solace in denial, not entertaining any negative energy or comments from any of her friends, and getting extremely irate if someone misspoke and said things she did not want to entertain. She genuinely held out hope that the Good Lord would touch her Lewis with His Healing Hands, and firmly believed that a miracle would occur. When the love of her life passed away, Antoinette admitted to me that her ‘grieving process’ had actually kicked in when Lewis was handed his dire prognosis. She could not comprehend her life without Lewis by her side, and she missed him insanely and desperately.

Even though Antoinette attended a few functions following Lewis’s passing, attempting to live an active and fulfilling life, she felt incredibly deflated and lonely, and many of her posts on Facebook will testify to how very much she missed her dear husband. Heather told me that 'when my Dad passed away, I never saw my Mum smile ever again'. Antoinette travelled the world with her Lewis and Heather, and after she retired from Kenya Airways, she continued to support Lewis with 'Visit Africa'. She was Lewis's love, rock and strength.

Antoinette and I also had one common interest, and that was our fierce love of animals! We brought two of our four dogs to Canada, and when Lewis and Antoinette offered to take one of them, we knew that our ‘Ricky’ was going to a very loving home and would be well looked after. She and Lewis were heartbroken when their gorgeous German Shepherd, Simba, passed away in 2015. We both loved dogs, and it was merely a few weeks ago, that Antoinette showed me, on skype, her new Daschund puppies playing on her bed.

On a personal note, I will always remember her kindness to me when she handed me a free air ticket to England in May, 1984, when my sister in law, Sushila, passed away. Her exact words to me, were 'what are friends for'! And all through the months that my beloved and cherished brothers, Alfred and Cecil battled their illnesses, Antoinette constantly reached out to me, despite her own struggles with Lewis's health crisis. Suffice to say, she was a source of tremendous comfort and consolation in recent months. Heaven decreed that it would be our lot to become partners in grief, and now our shared bonds had shifted: they were now rooted in shock, sadness and sorrow.

Our hearts go out to Heather Gail, who was the brightest light, love and life of her parents. Their lives revolved around Heather, and I know that Antoinette and Lewis will be watching over their darling girl from their heavenly abode.

Dearest friend, your time on earth was blessed but fleeting ..... now, with your beloved 'Lui' at your side again, your togetherness is eternal.

Cynthia & Mike

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Tribute to Antoinette

It is with much sadness that we bid farewell to yet another member of our DRGS alumni community. Everyone connected with alumni activities around the globe will know the measure of Antoinette’s extensive and generous contributions to our ex-student associations.

While all her fellow alumni and friends left for better opportunities elsewhere, Antoinette, together with her beloved late husband Lewis, opted to remain in Kenya where they attained that better opportunity that so many others sought. In the land of their birth they started Visit Africa Ltd., which became the successful and renowned safari outfit known to international travellers the world over. Antoinette was a well known and respected employee of Kenya Airways, the country’s national airline.

And through it all, Antoinette never forgot her educational roots. An ex-student of the Dr. Ribeiro Goan School, she remained committed to giving back to the institution that gave so much to so many. Her contributions and endowments to the school continued even during the years that the school was renamed Parklands School. Antoinette was involved in the endeavor that resulted in the reversal of the school name to Dr. Ribeiro Parklands School.

It goes without saying that Antoinette’s largess also extended to the DRGS Alumni Association. All those involved in Reunion events around the world know and have been touched by Antoinette’s generosity in donations of prizes and Kenyan artifacts that graced and elevated those events. The Visit Africa golf shirts have become synonymous with the Toronto Reunion Golf Tournaments. At a London Reunion she had sponsored a memorable cake emblazoned with the DRGS Nil Desperundum logo in the blue, white and red colors. No request was ever too much or too onerous for the ever-obliging Antoinette. She will surely be greatly missed.

Farewell, treasured Alumnus and true daughter of our iconic institution. Reunited now with your beloved Lewis, may you rest in Heavenly Peace.

Joan Do Rosario

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Aviation, Travel & Conservation News: Death reunites Antoinette De Souza with her Late Husband Lewis De Souza