Mrs. Maria Teresa (Batista) DeSousa, 85, of Hopedale MA, died Tuesday (October 30, 2018) at Genesis Milford Center in Milford MA after a period of declining health. She was the beloved wife of Joao V. DeSousa.

Mrs. DeSousa was born in Aveiro, Portugal the daughter of the late Albano and the late Maria doRosario (Goncalves) Batista. She attended school in Portugal as a young girl and owned & operated her own seamstress business in Portugal.

Mrs. DeSousa came to the United States with her family in 1966 and began working as a seamstress at the clothing department of the Harvard Coop and later at Louis Men's Clothing Store in Boston MA. She had resided in Cambridge MA and later in Hopedale MA for the past 13 years.

While residing in Cambridge MA, she was a member of St. Anthony's Church and a member of the Portuguese Club of Cambridge. She loved to cook & crochet and loved making annual trips back to Portugal in the summertime. But most of all, she loved spending time with her family members and dear friends.

Along with her beloved husband of sixty-five years, she is survived by her Daughter: Filomena, wife of Jack Rush of Mendon MA; 4 Grandchildren: Natasha, wife of Jared Barton of Milford MA, Verusca, wife of Jesse Mazzola of Uxbridge MA, Matthew Rush of Milford MA and Jaclyn, wife of Chad Noel of Douglas MA; 7 Great Grandchildren: Olivia Mazzola, Lillith Rush, Addison Noel, Gianna Mazzola, Joseph Barton, Corey Noel and Jackson Barton; 1 Brother: Jose Emidio Batista of Africa; and several nieces & nephews.

Mrs. DeSousa was the sister of the late Maria Jose Neves and the late Jose Batista.

Her funeral will be held Saturday (November 3rd) from the Edwards Memorial Funeral Home, 44 Congress Street, Milford MA followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11am in Sacred Heart Church, 187 Hopedale Street, Hopedale MA. Burial will follow in Hopedale Village Cemetery. A visiting hour will be held Saturday (November 3rd) from 9:30am to 10:30am, prior to her Funeral Mass.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to World Vision, P O Box #9716, Federal Way WA 98063     or     @ www.worldvision.org .