Giuseppina Nicolucci (AKA Pina Matalucci)
Memories...©Susan Elizabeth Dykhuis
Thursday, September 22nd 2011

Whenever I hear the song “Walking on Sunshine” by Katrina and The Waves, I see Pina in my mind’s eye, singing that song, and dancing in the elevator at Royal Victoria Hospital A Wing. We are leaving work on a lovely Montreal summer day, 1985....

Pina was a wonderful, very loving and affectionate person – a beautiful woman whom I so enjoyed knowing as a friend. We worked together and were friends from 1983, in Montreal. Around 1986 Pina moved to Toronto, met and married Paul and they had their lovely family. Last time we were together was at Pina’s home on Verobeach Rd. I have photos from that late Summer visit when Michael and Eric were toddlers -- and Pina had short hair!

I remember her so well:
Pina, pure sunshine and beauty with luscious long, naturally curly hair which bounced when she walked; sparkling eyes. She was a mixture of kindness, wit, fine sense of humour and beauty. And I remember the little cat she loved, named Bandit. Bandit loved to ride with Pina in her little blue car. Pina was so very special.

The last time Pina and I saw each other was that late August visit at her home on Verobeach Rd in 1999, but we kept in touch by telephone. Tried to reach Pina in early 2008 and did not connect. Sadly, it broke my heart to read in the obituary of Pina’s late mother (in 2010) wherein were these very sad words:

Domenica is reunited with her loving daughters Florence and Giuseppina.

Thus I learned of Pina’s illness and death; and thus I mourned this tragedy.

Today, September 22 2011 I’m looking at her wedding photo -- bride beautiful-- with her handsome groom, Paul. This September 13th Pina would have turned 52.

Dear Paul, Michael, Eric and Stefanie and Bruno, please know your beloved wife, mother and sister is fondly remembered and greatly missed by people like me who were fond of her and appreciated her. Pina's footprints are gently etched in many minds and hearts.

Those like me who called her 'friend' miss her and remember her with with great fondness and love.

Sue