Therese was the third child in a family of 5 siblings.

Teresa first contacted the Sisters of Compassion when she used to visit the Chanel Home of Compassion in Suva as a member of the Legion of Mary. She worked at Burns Philips where she held a responsible job, which she loved.

During 1961, Teresa joined the Sisters of Compassion and at her Reception into the Congregation she was given the name of Victor, after the late Archbishop of Fiji, Victor Foley. Sister Victor made her First Profession on 15 September, 1963, and her Perpetual Profession on 15 September, 1966.

In 1965, Sister Victor trained as a Registered Nurse in our hospital and after her graduation she continued to work in the hospital until she became ill with an auto-immune disease, nephrotic syndrome. For the next forty years, she suffered extensively with ill health. The way she managed to cope  for so many years, to continue to participate in life to the best of her ability, and to take an active interest in everything around her has been a sobering and humbling lesson for all who knew her.

Although suffering from ill health, Sister Victor worked in Fiji for three years during 1981 – 1984. On returning to New Zealand, she worked in the Child Care Centre for many years with Sister Mary Graham, and was well known to the people of Island Bay who had children there. She also spent time on the Māori Mission at Castlecliff which she later left to care for her mother in Fiji.

Sister Victor loved sports. She played netball, tennis, swam, and was an avid rugby supporter. She loved playing pranks and making people laugh. Her other great passion was food. She loved to taste all types of food and she also enjoyed cooking.  She could somehow turn an otherwise simple dish into something exotic and spicy. It’s all about using one’s imagination and making sure the food is presented colourfully – it’s all in the presentation, she used to say.

While based permanently at Island Bay, Sister Victor spent her last Christmas and New Year in Fiji. During the festive season, she enjoyed the time with her family and the Sisters of Compassion in Suva.  She even danced to lively Fijian music. Sister was admitted to Chanel Home a few hours before her death, happy to be with the Sisters.  Her Religious life was very important to her and she was very faithful to the religious observances. Her last wish was to die and be laid to rest in Fiji. She had said her farewells and was able to die in peace. May she rest in peace.

Born                   Entered               Professed             Died              Place of Death       Place of Burial

10.10.1937       18.03.1961           15.09.1961        15.01.2011         Chanel Home        Suva Cemetery