Brenda J. (Lessa) Sanchez, 61, of New Bedford died Thursday July 31, 2008 at St. Luke's Hospital after a long illness. She was the wife of John R. Sanchez.
Born in Acushnet, the daughter of the late John Lessa and Alice (Gilbert) Duarte, she lived in New Bedford for most of her life.
Survivors include her husband; a son, Wesley S. Lessa of New Bedford; two sisters, Barbara Benise of Altoona, PA and Leighanne Taylor of New Bedford; two brothers, Robert Lessa of Hyannis and Allen Grace of New Bedford; ten grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
She was the sister of the late Joaquim Grace and Paul Douglas Grace.
Her Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday at 9 AM at 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 at the Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park St., New Bedford. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.