ELENA CANDREA

(1935 – 2024) It is with enormous sadness and heartfelt gratitude that we announce the peaceful passing of Elena Candrea, our beloved mother, grandmother, matriarch, sister, wife and above all, the kindest soul, and the strongest, most unbreakable spirit that lived 89 years on this earth. Elena led a simple, yet meaningful life firmly rooted in the values of sacrifice, faith, hard work, courage, integrity and above all, Love! Born into humble beginnings as one of 10 children, she was afforded only four years of formal education, yet she gained profound wisdom coupled with simple common sense through always facing life head on. Her warmth, resilience, and quiet strength left a mark on many people not only from the small mountain village where she spent all her life, but also among friends from many walks of life, nationalities, and corners of the world. Elena had a lifelong passion for the arts and once dreamed of becoming a performing artist. Life, however, had other plans, and that unfulfilled dream was as one of her main regrets. Hence the constant push in her son and those around her that dreams must be pursued with grit, fortitude, and unwavering tenacity. She endured more than her fair share of hardship - a childhood marked by World War II and its aftermath, the loss of four children and her husband, and the distance of her remaining son in a faraway and foreign country. Yet through it all, she remained a woman of deep faith, facing each day with fierce determination and utmost resolve. Elena left us with discretion and dignity, without creating any fuss. She was very active and did farm chores until the very last day. She is survived by her sisters, Sabina and Cornelia; her only son; two grandsons; and two great-grandchildren. Her husband and our father, Simion, passed in 2008. In the end, we can truly say that She Lived, She Loved and She Mattered. Onwards with gratitude.