Obituary of Honorata Stephenson

STEPHENSON, Honorata Arayata Migriño, M.D., F.R.C.P. (C) (Physician and Humanitarian. Born May 28,1938 in Tagbilaran City, Philippines. Died April 7, 2008 in Toronto, Canada.) Honorata, also affectionately known as Baby, Doctora, Manding and Nora, was a devoted wife, mother, sister, physician and humanitarian. While life provided her with several significant challenges, including surviving the Japanese occupation of the Philippines, the 1967 Detroit riots, benign meningeoma and endometrial cancer, she overcame each and every one of them without complaint, with clear purpose, tireless courage and boundless hope and joy. As a pediatrician and allergist/immunologist, Nora touched the lives of countless families as she practiced medicine with deep compassion, caring and clinical astuteness. After surviving eleven-hour brain surgery in 1989, she founded L.I.F.E. Philippines Foundation, an organization devoted to Livelihood, Infrastructure, Food and Education projects to aid the poor in her native Philippines. She led numerous medical missions providing free medical and surgical services to poor Filipinos and brought several children with life-threatening congenital heart defects to Canada for surgery. Nora was an artist who loved to paint and sing, particularly as part of the St. Bonaventure Church choir. Her nurturing nature extended to her garden, and horticulture was a lifelong passion. As a wife and mother, she lived and led by example and benefited her entire family through selfless sharing from her endless well of love. She always, unquestiongly said 'yes' when asked for help and she always remembered everyone who helped her, returning the favour in times of need. After a long and courageous battle with metastatic endometrial cancer, she passed away peacefully in her home in the company of her devoted husband, Roy Edward, and her loving children, Leah Marie and Lara Ann Stephenson. She is survived by her sisters Victoria, Aureola and Diva and brothers Florencio, Eutropio and Emmanuel. Her grace, peace and courage throughout the battle brought us closer together, taught us all and left us wiser. The family will receive friends at the HUMPHREY FUNERAL HOME - A.W. MILES CHAPEL, 1403 Bayview Avenue (south of Eglinton Avenue East), from 2 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, April 13th. Mass of Christian Burial will be held in ST. BONAVENTURE'S CHURCH, 1300 Leslie Street on Monday, April 14th at 10:30 a.m. Interment to follow. If desired, Nora would be joyous if donations were made to Rotary District 7070 Gift of Life Inc. through her husband Roy c/o Lerners LLP, 130 Adelaide Street West, Suite 2400, P.O. Box 95, Toronto, Ontario, M5H 3P5. Condolences and memories may be forwarded through www.humphreymiles.com. When you walk through a storm, Hold your head up high, And don't be afraid of the dark. At the end of the storm is a golden sky And the sweet silver song of a lark. Walk on through the wind, Walk on through the rain, Tho' your dreams be tossed and blown. Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart, And you'll never walk alone. You'll never walk alone.