Eulogy by Victor Saldanha
Created by Marsha one year agoAna Rita Silene Pinto Correia Ribeiro, 1931 - 2022.
Say not in grief “She is no more”, but live in thankfulness that she was.
Early years
Ana Rita was born in Moira, Goa, to Estefania Saldanha (my father's sister), and Dr. Vitorino Pinto Correia, a physician of aristocratic bearing and lineage.
It was customary for our family to visit the family home in Saligao during our annual summer holidays. These visits included a visit to Moira for the day. We enjoyed our time with Ana Rita and her siblings Branca and Miguel: exploring the surrounding area, playing games of Seven Tiles, Hide & Seek, Dabba-Doobie, Gilli-Dandu, etc. Ana Rita was quite active in these pursuits, unlike Branca, who was more reserved, and not surprisingly became a nun. Invariably Papagran Vitorino would rent a beach house or two for the family, and we would all go down to Calangute beach for a long weekend of fun and frolic in the sea and sand, accompanied by a cook, boy, and ayah. Fresh tender coconuts, mangoes, and cashews; a variety of fish and sea food right out of the ocean.
We learned Konkani to communicate with the domestic help, but nowhere as fluent as Ana Rita, who was also fluent in Portuguese and English.
Alas we all grew up and developed other pursuits for the summer, so visits to Goa became less frequent, but no less enjoyable. We had musicians among the cousins who could play guitar and piano, and everyone joined in the singing of songs in English, Portuguese, and Konkani. Endless versions of “She’ll Be Coming Round The Mountain”, “My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean”, Mandos etc. led by Ana Rita on guitar and the Goa cousins. Those were the days.
The Bombay years
After High School, Ana Rita came to college in Bombay, where she met Lancelot Ribeiro, a budding artist, and they got married in the Cathedral Of The Holy Name in 1960, across the street from Clark House, where we lived. Lance’s career shifted into high gear about this time, and he became quite prolific and known. His brother, Francis Newton Souza, had established himself as a well recognized artist in London. Lance followed in 1962 and Ana Rita in 1963.
In the U.K.
Ana Rita and Lance settled into a nice apartment in Belsize Park Gardens, North London, and that is where I established contact with Ana Rita, Lance, and daughters Raissa and Marsha (my God Child), on my move to London for medical studies in 1966. Many were the weekends when I enjoyed Ana Rita’s cooking and the family company - Goa curries, sorpotel, and sausages, and much laughter. For this I am always grateful.
In 1969 I accepted a Research Fellowship at Columbia University in New York City, and moved permanently to the U.S.A., relocating to the Boston area in 1974.
Through the years Ana Rita and I maintained contact at Christmas time, and our birthdays. I will miss her contact especially at these times, and till we meet again, I say “Au Revoir”.
Say not in grief “She is no more”, but live in thankfulness that she was.
Early years
Ana Rita was born in Moira, Goa, to Estefania Saldanha (my father's sister), and Dr. Vitorino Pinto Correia, a physician of aristocratic bearing and lineage.
It was customary for our family to visit the family home in Saligao during our annual summer holidays. These visits included a visit to Moira for the day. We enjoyed our time with Ana Rita and her siblings Branca and Miguel: exploring the surrounding area, playing games of Seven Tiles, Hide & Seek, Dabba-Doobie, Gilli-Dandu, etc. Ana Rita was quite active in these pursuits, unlike Branca, who was more reserved, and not surprisingly became a nun. Invariably Papagran Vitorino would rent a beach house or two for the family, and we would all go down to Calangute beach for a long weekend of fun and frolic in the sea and sand, accompanied by a cook, boy, and ayah. Fresh tender coconuts, mangoes, and cashews; a variety of fish and sea food right out of the ocean.
We learned Konkani to communicate with the domestic help, but nowhere as fluent as Ana Rita, who was also fluent in Portuguese and English.
Alas we all grew up and developed other pursuits for the summer, so visits to Goa became less frequent, but no less enjoyable. We had musicians among the cousins who could play guitar and piano, and everyone joined in the singing of songs in English, Portuguese, and Konkani. Endless versions of “She’ll Be Coming Round The Mountain”, “My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean”, Mandos etc. led by Ana Rita on guitar and the Goa cousins. Those were the days.
The Bombay years
After High School, Ana Rita came to college in Bombay, where she met Lancelot Ribeiro, a budding artist, and they got married in the Cathedral Of The Holy Name in 1960, across the street from Clark House, where we lived. Lance’s career shifted into high gear about this time, and he became quite prolific and known. His brother, Francis Newton Souza, had established himself as a well recognized artist in London. Lance followed in 1962 and Ana Rita in 1963.
In the U.K.
Ana Rita and Lance settled into a nice apartment in Belsize Park Gardens, North London, and that is where I established contact with Ana Rita, Lance, and daughters Raissa and Marsha (my God Child), on my move to London for medical studies in 1966. Many were the weekends when I enjoyed Ana Rita’s cooking and the family company - Goa curries, sorpotel, and sausages, and much laughter. For this I am always grateful.
In 1969 I accepted a Research Fellowship at Columbia University in New York City, and moved permanently to the U.S.A., relocating to the Boston area in 1974.
Through the years Ana Rita and I maintained contact at Christmas time, and our birthdays. I will miss her contact especially at these times, and till we meet again, I say “Au Revoir”.
Pictures
2016.11 Mum and Victor 2