Mary Silvia Cunha, age 96, died peacefully on September 26. She was
the wife of the late Edward N. Cunha and the daughter of the late
Manuel Araujo Silvia and the late Maria Couto Silvia. Mary was the
sister of the late Manuel Araujo Silvia Jr. and the late Silvina Cabral.
Born in Fall River, Mary worked as a textile worker, including twenty-six
years at Quaker Fabric.
Mary was a parishioner of Saint John the Baptist Church in Westport,
MA. She spent much of her life volunteering at the Salvation Army
Ladies' Home League, the Catholic Memorial Home, Hope House, and
the Rose Hawthorne Home. She was a foster grandmother at Atlantis
Charter, Dubuque, Greene, Spencer Borden, and Stone schools, where,
through her kind and gentle ways, she brought much love and lots of
smiles to thousands of children. Mary will be remembered for her
cheerful and humble nature, always looking for the good in people.
Every day was Mary's best day.
Mary is survived and will be dearly missed by a daughter, Maryann
Goulart and her husband, Fernando, of Westport, and a son, Edward
Cunha Jr. and his wife, Paula, of Fall River. Mary leaves many
grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins.
In lieu of flowers, please make a memorial donation to The Fly
Foundation, PO Box 2528, Fall River, MA 02722.
Arrangements are by A.F. Almeida & Son, 1309 Globe Street, Fall River,
MA. Visiting hours are from 4 pm to 8 pm on Friday, September 30.
Family and friends are invited to go directly to a Mass of Christian Burial
at Saint John the Baptist Church, 945 Main Road, Westport, at 9 am on
Saturday, October 1. Burial is private.