It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our mother, Lena Soda. She went peacefully in her sleep on January 19, 2021 at the age of 88. Lena is survived by her children Nella Graham (Mike) and Frank Soda (Natalie), her Grandchildren Justin, Kristi, Laura and Peter, her great-grandchildren Brooklyn and Zachary and many nieces and nephews.

Lena was predeceased by her husband Maurino Soda, her parents Teresina and Antonio Mauro, her Sisters Rosina Galati, Maria Tucci and Assunta Mauro, her brother Franchino Mauro, as well as three brothers who died at infancy. She was also preceded in death by her nephew and childhood best-friend, Michele Vommero.

Lena was born in Mangone, Cosenza, Italy. She married Maurino in 1954 and together started planning for a family and better life. Lena and Maurino came to Canada in 1961 with their 2 young children. After a brief stay in Prince George, Lena and the two children returned to Mangone for family and financial reasons. Lena and the children returned to Prince George in 1967 to rejoin Maurino, who by then was well established. Both of these trips were major adventures, involving 10 days travel on ship across the Atlantic and another five days on a train across Canada, all with 2 young children in tow. She worked for The London Hotel for 23 years and retired in 1990.

Lena was proud of her Italian heritage, followed all the village traditions and maintained the language and culture. Her first priority was her family. Love of her family ensured her husband was well cared for and that she set a positive role model for her children – hard work, education, and honesty were her traits — which will be forever etched in the hearts of those she touched. Her second priority was community. She treasured her friends, was always a gracious host and always had time to stop and chat.

Her passion was food. She loved feeding people… the more you ate the better. She ensured that family, friends and community, and anyone else who visited her home were well fed. There was never a lack of food. Her amazing gardening skills and hard work always resulted in prodigious amounts of organic, non-gmo foods long before that was the trendy thing to do.

The family would like to thank the nurses and doctors at UHNBC Hospital Shortstay and Simon Fraser Lodge staff for the excellent care they gave mom. Adeline, in particular, you were mom’s Angel when we couldn’t be there.

Thank you Mom, for always putting your family first. Your sacrifices were many, all of them to build a better life for us. Thank you for the work ethic and high standards you taught us. We wish so much the COVID restrictions were not in place, and we could have had hugs and dinners again. It wasn’t to be. Rest in peace Mom. Love you forever. Say hi to Dad.

Grazie mamma, per averci amato e cresciuto, grazie per i valori che ci hai trasmesso. Addio mamma, resterai sempre nel nostro cuore. Lo sappiamo che Dio ti ha nelle sue braccia, noi nel nostro cuore. Saluti e abbracci a papa.

A private service will be held at Assman’s funeral Chapel on Sunday, January 24^th at 2:00 pm. Entombment will follow on Saturday, January 30, at Oceanview Mausoleum in Burnaby at 11:00am