84 year old Christine A. Fernandes, a retired St Bedes AIHS School teacher, passed away on April 25; her funeral service was held on April 29 at Our Lady of Guidance Church, R A Puram and she was laid to rest at Quibble Island Cemetery.
Old Bedeans and Christine’s colleagues from St Bedes joined the bereaved family as they farewelled the grand old woman who is said to have been the longest serving teacher at St. Bede’s.
Born in Royapuram, raised in San Thome and settled in Foreshore Estate, Christine was a much loved teacher whose skill in moulding young minds was lauded by many at the funeral.
Facebook was alive with tributes paid by her ‘old’ students all around the world, who fondly remembered their Std. 1 teacher, “the first smiling face” that welcomed them to school.
Christine worked as a primary school teacher for 33 years at St Bedes – her service as a teacher was warmly recalled by Fr. Sebastian and Fr K. J. Anthony, principals of St Bede’s during Christine’s tenure, who celebrated the funeral Mass.
Fernandes joined St. Bedes in 1965 as a Std.4 teacher, after completing her Teacher’s Training course at Church Park. In 1973, Fr. Sebastian, the then HM, observing her motherly love towards her students, asked her if she would teach Std.1, the most challenging class to handle, and the rest is history.
Said ‘old’ student Neville Philip (batch of 2000), “Hundreds, if not thousands of boys, would remember Christine Fernandes as ‘my first standard teacher'”.
Christine is survived by three children and four grandchildren.
– Tribute by Dr Suzanne D’ Souza
