Obituary of Maria Sousa Moreira

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Maria Sousa Moreira on Friday, May 19 at age 87 in West Melbourne, Florida.  She left us peacefully, surrounded by her daughter and family with whom she resided. Maria will be deeply missed by her children, Manuel, Antonio (Ines), Jorgina (Jose), Adelina (Ronald), Ines, and son Jose.  She also leaves behind her most beloved grandchildren: Tome, Teresa, and Denis Andrade; Danny, Christina, and David Andrade; Paul, Michael, and Robert Moreira; Thomas, and Miguel Crivello; Sophia, Anabela, and David Almeida as well as Jacob and Isaac Andrade. She also leaves behind twelve cherished great-grandchildren.

Maria was born in Santa Bárbara, Santa Maria, in the Açores islands. 

She is survived by her sister Emilia Moura and brother João (Conceição) Moreira, and was predeceased by her husband Antonio Moreira Andrade, and by siblings Antonio, Jose, Manuel, Bernardino, Luis, Jorgina, Alfredo, and her youngest sister Adelina.

Maria worked hard all her life, being it in her family farm in Santa Bárbara, or working as a housekeeper in various industries; both in the NATO base in Santa Maria and in the United States. She held her family together with pride and honor as the head of their household  after her late husband suffered a debilitating accident  in the early 1970’s.  She immigrated into the USA in 1976 with two of her elder children to provide her entire family with a better life, a new beginning in the land of opportunity. 

Maria enjoyed traveling and she never missed an opportunity to visit her siblings and children, be it in Canada or Brasil; N. Carolina or N. Dakota!  Maria was always hopeful and looked forward to exploring new places. Since becoming a widow in 1995, she lived with her older daughter and her family in Somerville, MA.  She often visited her family hometown in Santa Maria during the summer months,  and enjoyed spending winter months with her family members in Florida. Due to her declining health, Maria moved to Florida permanently in 2016, where she spent her remaining years in the company of her older son and her two younger daughters and their families.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone whom reached out with prayers and condolences, and to the nursing staff of St.  Francis Reflections, for the care afforded to her on her last weeks of life. Thank you!

 The Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, June 8, 2023 at Saint Anthony Parish, 400 Cardinal Medeiros Ave., Cambridge, MA at 10:00 a.m.  

Rite of Committal will be at Holly Cross Cemetery, on Saint Clement Ave. Sec.3, path 81, grave 11, Malden, Massachusetts