Dubai: The funeral of Betty Fernandes, the 42-year-old Indian woman who died during a hip replacement surgery at a Dubai hospital earlier this month, will be held on Saturday June 1, it was confirmed on Thursday.
Fernandes’ family were finally granted clearance to go ahead with the funeral over three weeks after she died during surgery on May 9.
A funeral service will be held at St Mary’s Church in Oud Mehta from 1.30pm followed by a burial at the Dubai Christian Cemetery in Jebel Ali on Saturday.
The mother of two, originally from Mumbai, suffered from a congenital hip defect from birth and required surgery to correct a limp, which had been giving her pain.
She went in for surgery on May 9 but passed away due to complications.
All those who knew Fernandes, recall her as a young, positive and vivacious woman with so much passion for life.
She worked as an office manager for an international corporation and was a celebrated baker who loved baking her friends beautifully crafted cakes and pastries on their birthdays and anniversaries.
“Last year she won a baking contest organised by the International Centre for Culinary Arts and was awarded with a year-long training as a Patisserie Chef, she was so excited,” said her husband Thomas.
According to a family member, it was during this course that she realised she was finding it difficult to stand for long hours rolling the pasty as her hip condition caused her pain and discomfort, so she opted for surgery to resolve the issue.
A remembrance card sent out inviting friends to pay their last respects asked loved ones to remember her with smiles not tears and included a picture and poem with the words ‘Betty Lives On’.
She is survived by her husband Thomas and two teenage children.
Fernandes’ sister-in-law Jennifer, who spoke to Gulf News soon after her death, paid a glowing tribute.
“Betty was an exceptionally wonderful person, beautiful inside and out,” she said. “She had the kindest heart. And was a doting mother who took pride in her son and daughter, she would fulfil their every need.
“She was a caring wife and a beloved daughter and sister, she was especially an amazing friend to me, we would chat on the phone constantly and take the kids out together most of the time.”
Recalling her conversation with Betty just an hour before the surgery, Jennifer said: ““Betty was a wonderful aunt to her nephew, she would spoil him with gifts and her delicious cakes. Before she was going into surgery she was still worried about baking a cake for his fourth birthday this month, and I reassured her that she could always bake a cake for his upcoming birthdays and even his wedding for that matter, but for that moment I advised her to take it easy, and focus on the rest and recovery post the surgery. She had laughed at the thought of baking a cake for his wedding.”
A source close to the family said they were awaiting an autopsy report, but for now clearance had been granted for the family to take the body from the morgue for burial.
