Sandra (Silva) Gonsalves, 47, of Mitchellville, Maryland, formerly of New Bedford died Wednesday February 6, 2002 at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C., surrounded by her loving family.
She was the wife of John A. "Nunui" Gonsalves. She was the firstborn of the eleven children of Maria (Livramento) Silva and Alfredo B. "Freddie" Silva , both of New Bedford.
Born in Acushnet, she lived in New Bedford before moving to Maryland 20 years ago. She and her husband had celebrated their twentieth wedding anniversary on February 4, 2002. She had lived with breast cancer for nine years and had been involved in numerous experimental breast cancer studies.
Mrs. Gonsalves was employed as an executive secretary with the Department of the Navy in Washington, D.C., for the last 20 years. She had previously been employed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Public Welfare, Onboard, and UMass Dartmouth.
She was a graduate of New Bedford High School and Kinyon-Cambell Business School.
Survivors include her husband; her parents; her son, Keri Jon Gonsalves of Mitchellville; a brother Alfredo B. "Sonny" Silva, Jr., of New Bedford; 8 sisters, Elaine Costa, Yvonne Houtman, Peggy Dias, Diane Tavares and Toni Silva, all of New Bedford, Shirley Paige of Merrimack, NH, Beverly Gresham of Upper Marlboro, MD, and Melissa Wilson of Clinton, MD; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, John M. and Judith Gonsalves of New Bedford; and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, sisters-in-law, and brothers-in-law.She was the sister of the late Anna Marie Silva, and daughter-in-law of the late Mamie Gonsalves.
Funeral from the Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park St., New Bedford Monday February 11, 2002 at 10 AM. Funeral Mass at St. Lawrence Church at 11AM. Relatives and friends are invited to attend. Visiting hours will be on Sunday February 10, 2002 from 2-4 and 7-9. Burial will be in St. John's Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the Sandra Gonsalves Scholarship Fund, c/o Fleet Bank, 71 Faunce Corner Rd., Dartmouth, MA 02747.