Fun, Jovial and People Friendly Marian D’souza of A R D’souza & Sons Sadly Missed
Mangaluru: A beautiful soul, full of love and friendship, was taken away from the A R D’souza Family today, 13 September 2019, but closer to God now, leaving loneliness and sadness among them all. Words cannot describe what they are all feeling at the moment. If the people we love are stolen from us, the way to have them live on is to never stop remembering them. The memory of Marian John D’souza, aged 57 is our keepsake with which we’ll never apart. God has Him in his keeping, but we’ll always have Marian in our hearts and in our memories. Sadly missed, my dear friend!
If you had happened to visit the M/S A R D’souza & Sons on Market Road, Mangaluru, people who knew Marian will never go back without meeting Marian, because he had a peculiar way of greeting and meeting his friends and well-wishers, and always had something to joke about or crack some gossip from the daily news from the newspapers or magazines, because one of his hobbies was reading a bunch of newspapers and magazines and had much of knowledge of current news/affairs- and he had a spot in the shop to keep all his reading materials, like a “Mini Library”.
I have known Marian since years, but got much closer to him after I returned back a few years ago from States- and every time I visit the A R D’souza & Son shop, he never used to call me by my name, instead would address me as “Hi, America Return” or “USA Return” or “Mangalorean.com Man” and so on- and I took his welcome greetings on the lighter side of vein. He always had some jokes to crack and made everyone around him, including the staff at the shop to emerge into laughter. Always a jovial, full of fun and people-friendly was the nature of Marian.
Getting to know about Marian, he was the third child among the eight children to Late William D’souza, born on 25 November 1961 in Bendore-well, Mangaluru- and he is the grandson of Late A R D’souza- the business tycoon of Mangaluru then. Doing his high school and PUC at St Aloysius College, Mangaluru, he then completed his B Com at Loyola College in Madras (Chennai)- and after which he came back to Mangaluru and joined as a Managing Partner at A R D’souza & Son, Mangaluru in 1983. And since then for 33 years, he helped his beloved brother Terrence D’souza, in managing the shop on Market Road, which has been a favorite shop for many people in and around Mangaluru for clothing and other textile items.
Since January 2019, Marian developed some health problems, and he was getting treated at Unity Health Centre, Father Muller Hospital, and recently at Colaco Hospital, where he breathed his last at 3.15 pm on 13 September 2019. But all these past few months, he fought a brave and strong battle, but his prolonged illness would not allow him to get better. He took each day in stride, never really complaining, always feeling tired and always hoping that the treatments would finally end so he could get on with his life. But it was all God’s wish not to allow Marian to suffer more, so He took him to Heaven to enjoy in His company.
But it was Marian’s nature of joyfulness, jovial attitude and people friendliness that drew people to him. His happy face and his laughs were brighter and more joyous the last time many saw him, including his family members. Although his health was deteriorating day by day, our friend Marian was doubly blessed with his natural personality—inside and out. His brother Terrence says, “Marian was loving and real. He used to help the poor many times without my knowledge, and that was his kindness towards the less fortunate. He was a big asset to me in my business here, but now I lost a pillar to support me in running our family-owned business. He always liked to read a lot, and at home, he always watched news TV channels. I dearly miss my brother”.
And finally, to my dear friend Marian, also a loving member of his family, and a friend to many, my message is “Marian, your memory is our keepsake with which we’ll never part. God has with you in his keeping, but we’ll always have you in our hearts and in our memories. May God rest your soul in peace and the Angels to always be there with you! … May God put you in a special place from where you’ll be watching us, the people who loved and cherished you! My condolences to the bereaved family. My tears are flowing for you my friend, a great man. I pray for your happy repose and may you Rest In Peace”. Sadly missed, adios Marian!
