Maria A. Silva, 88

CHESHIRE, Mass. — Mrs. Maria Albertina Silva, 88, of 71 Briggs Drive, Cheshire, passed peacefully on Sunday morning, May 22, 2016, at her home, in the company of her family.



She was born in Pico, Azores, on September 29, 1927, a daughter of the late Joao and Maria Luisa (Da Silva) Silva, and attended schools in Portugal. She had lived in both Portugal and the United States since 1978, and had lived in Cheshire since 2007.



Mrs. Silva was a shoe factory worker, retiring in 1989. She had also been a homemaker, and enjoyed caring for her grandchildren.



She was a communicant of St. Mary of the Assumption Church, Cheshire.



Maria enjoyed being with family and friends. She loved to travel, especially back to Pico and to Florida. She also loved going to Portuguese festivals. Her favorite hobbies were knitting sweaters for newborn babies, crocheting towels, tablecloths and scarves; sewing, gardening, cooking and baking.



Each day she would say a prayer for each person in her family from her prayer books. She loved going to church every Sunday. She especially loved the company of her four children, 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She was a woman with a heart of gold and great strength. She will be missed by many.



Her husband, Antonio Silva, whom she married on November 17, 1951, died on September 21, 2007.



She is survived by three daughters, Maria DeJesus Oliveira and her husband Alberto, of Pico, Azores, Maria Das Dores Leal and her husband Jose, of Averill Park, N.Y., and Maria Conceicao Leal and her husband Manuel of Cheshire; one son, Tony Silva of Rotunda West, Fla., and the mother of his children, Sheila Silva; 10 grandchildren, including David Leal, Melissa Coon, Jason Leal, Christine Leal, Andrea Leal, Jonathan Leal, Dina Oliveira, Susana Oliveira, Steven Silva and Jeffrey Silva; two great-grandchildren, Isabella Leal and Olivia Coon; three sisters, Filomena Santos and Margarida Rosa, both of Somerville, Mass., and Rosalina Pereira of Pico, Azores; one brother, Antonio Silva of Pico, Azores, as well as sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law; and several nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.



Funeral notice: The funeral will be held on Thursday, May 26, at 8:45 a.m. from the Paciorek Funeral Home, 13 Hoosac St. Adams, followed by a Liturgy of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. in St. Mary of the Assumption Church, Cheshire. Burial will follow in Cheshire Cemetery.



Calling hours are Wednesday, May 25, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home.