Maria (Lopes) Fortes, 101, of New Bedford died Sunday January 14, 2007 at New Bedford Health Care after a brief illness. She was the wife of the late Jose M. Fortes.
Born in Brava, Cape Verde, the daughter of the late Manuel and Emariana (Lomba) Lopes, she lived in New Bedford for the past 20 years.
She was a parishioner of Our Lady of the Assumption Church.
Survivors include four sisters, Laura Andrade, Julia Mingola, Joana Lopes, and Eugenia Lessa, all of New Bedford; two nieces, Mariana Barros and Marie Alves; a great-niece, Courtney Rego; and two great-nephews, John Alves, Jr. and Aaron Alves.
She was the sister of the late Berta Pires, John Lopes, and Antonio L. Lopes.
Her Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday at 9 AM in Our Lady of the Assumption Church. Burial will follow in St. John's Cemetery. Visiting hours will be on Tuesday from 2-4 and 7-9 PM in the Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park St., New Bedford. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.