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Mary Therese Fajardo

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Mary Fajardo Obituary

Published by Legacy Remembers from Aug. 30 to Sep. 3, 2023.

Cumming, GA - Mary Therese Fajardo, born July 20, 1953, and admired for her strong Catholic faith, deep intellect, dry wit and lived compassion, died on August 2, 2023, surrounded by family and close friends. A member of the Madonna House Lay Apostolate based in Combermere, Ontario Canada, she lived simply, inspired by the knowledge of the presence of God in every day life.

A dog lover since early childhood, her friends knew her as a "dog person." She graduated from Saint Cecilia Academy and the University of the South before joining Madonna House in the 70s. She was stationed in several different locations, including Regina, Canada, Winslow, Arizona and other Madonna Houses in the US and Canada. In the 90s, she was assigned to Natal, Brazil, where she learned the language and fell in love with the culture and people of Brazil.

Even as a child, Mary Therese had a strong faith, and it never left her. In the late 90s, while still in Brazil, she contracted dengue fever. She returned to the States where she was diagnosed with multiple myeloma at the age of 44. Recent advances in medical research, led to her participation in a trial that put her in remission for nearly 24 years. Her quiet faith sustained her throughout, and she affected the lives of many people for decades. She became a resident of Cumming GA, where she was a lector and eucharistic minister at Good Shepherd, Catholic Church. In 2022, her multiple myeloma returned. She fought valiantly. Her faith in God, never wavered through numerous physical setbacks. Friends around the world and locally will miss her sense of humor and quiet inspiration. Those who knew her will not forget her.

The fourth child of Roque and Virginia (Wilcox) Fajardo, she was loved and admired by siblings Marie (Fajardo) Ragghianti of Alpharetta GA; Chris Fajardo of Louisville, KY; Bob Fajardo (deceased October 2022) of Nashville TN; and Rose (Fajardo) Latino of Brooklyn NY. She was the wise and quirky aunt of Dante Ragghianti, Jr, Therese Ragghianti, Enrique Ragghianti, Christine (Fajardo) Hair, Debbie (Fajardo) Castanha, Mary (Fajardo) Hair, Chris Fajardo, Jr, Michael Fajardo, Shellie (Fajardo) Richardson, Anne (Fajardo) Hayworth, Claire (Fajardo) Belcher, Lily Latino, Francesca Latino, and nine great nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Madonna House, 2888 Defoe Rd, Combermere ON Canada KOJ 1L0. (Attn: Elizabeth Bassarear) or The Forsyth Humane Society www.forsythpets.org

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

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Marie Fajardo Ragghianti

September 3, 2023

The day she came home from the hospital, I was 11 years old. I had been the "only" girl until she was born. I think on some level I was not immediately receptive of this little baby, but in no time at all, I came to adore her. Our mother was disabled, and so I was the one who bathed her and fed her and walked her in the stroller and put her to bed at night, and patted her back until she fell asleep; looking back I see now that in someways my feelings for her became, perhaps more maternal, than sisterly. For the rest of her life I felt protective of her and it became a bit of a nuisance to her, I believe. She was strong & looked only to God for protection! I will miss her for the rest of my life, but my own faith tells me that she lives on & is with me still in the way that matters most.