New Bedford - Zelia (Perinho) Franco, age 84 of New Bedford, died, peacefully, at St. Luke's Hospital after a period of declining health. She was the loving widow of Nuno Franco and the daughter of Antonia (Velho) and Benjamin Ricardo Perinho.
Zelia was born in Santa Maria, Azores and moved to this country in 1957 where she was a dedicated home maker to her loving family.
She is survived by her 4 loving children: Amadeu Pedrosa and his wife, Linda, of West Palm Beach, Fla, Antonio Pedrosa of Fort Lauderdale, Fla, Benjamin Pedrosa and his wife, Ana Bela, of New Bedford and Felicio Franco and his wife, Martha, of Dartmouth; 5 grandchildren: Zelia Pedrosa, Nancy Pedrosa and her husband, Christopher Hohner, Genevieve (Franco) Correia and her husband, Michael, Robert Pedrosa and his wife, Raquel and Nuno Pedrosa; as well as 3 great grandchildren: Michael, Diana Bela and Savannah.
Her funeral will be Saturday beginning at 7:30 A.M. at Perry Funeral Home, 111 Dartmouth St. in New Bedford, with a Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church at 8:30 A.M. Burial will follow in St. John Cemetery. Visiting hours will take place in the funeral home on Friday evening from 6 - 9 P.M. Relatives and friends are invited to attend.