Very strong woman, classy, vibrant, cultured and well read, Coca Nitu touched many lives. She was born in Bucharest, Romania from parents who went to medical school. Her father had a very successful medical practice and her mother interupted her studies after the third year of medical school to raise her kids. Coca completed her primary and secondary education in Bucharest. Her and her sister's adolescence was profoundly impacted by the second world war. Shortly after she finished her high school she lost her mother whom she loved dearly (3 Jan. 1949). A year later, Coca went to Moscow where she later obtained a Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering. In Moscow she met her future husband, Vasile Nitu, who was enrolled in a Ph. D. Program at the Energy Institute of Moscow. They got married in September 1952 and had their first child in 1954. Although the program was very challenging and she had a baby, Coca graduated in 1956.
Coca had a gift for languages. She spoke Romanian, French, English, German and Russian. She some times acompanied her husband at international forums such as CIGRE (Conference des Grandes Reseaux Electriques) and World Energy Organization where her ability to speak many languages was very much appreciated. Her company was always sought as she always had witty comments and an endless list of jokes to share.
Coca started her career in 1956 at ElectroAparataj in Bucharest as an Electrical Engineer and continued in this field working for the Ministry of Industry (MICM) until 1968 when she began teaching Electrical Engineering to specialized high shools. She developed very strong relationships with her students who in some cases stayed in touch with her to the very end. Coca received a couple of medals in recognition of her professional contribution.
In 1993 she emigrated to Canada with her husband to help raise her first grand child who was 5 months old at the time. This was a dream come true for her because her mother and grand mother didn’t live to see their grandchildren. Coca had a deep love for her family and friends and went out of her way on numereous occasions to provide them with support when needed. Her wisdome was very much appreciated by people around her and was also visible in the many wise adages she used in her communication. Coca was a factor of change, she encouraged people, especially women, to get a better life, to get an education. As one of her nieces said "She was bigger than life. When she spoke, we listened."
Coca had a gift for languages. She spoke Romanian, French, English, German and Russian. She some times acompanied her husband at international forums such as CIGRE (Conference des Grandes Reseaux Electriques) and World Energy Organization where her ability to speak many languages was very much appreciated. Her company was always sought as she always had witty comments and an endless list of jokes to share.
Coca started her career in 1956 at ElectroAparataj in Bucharest as an Electrical Engineer and continued in this field working for the Ministry of Industry (MICM) until 1968 when she began teaching Electrical Engineering to specialized high shools. She developed very strong relationships with her students who in some cases stayed in touch with her to the very end. Coca received a couple of medals in recognition of her professional contribution.
In 1993 she emigrated to Canada with her husband to help raise her first grand child who was 5 months old at the time. This was a dream come true for her because her mother and grand mother didn’t live to see their grandchildren. Coca had a deep love for her family and friends and went out of her way on numereous occasions to provide them with support when needed. Her wisdome was very much appreciated by people around her and was also visible in the many wise adages she used in her communication. Coca was a factor of change, she encouraged people, especially women, to get a better life, to get an education. As one of her nieces said "She was bigger than life. When she spoke, we listened."