Fern L. (Sherman) Lipsett Ferreira, 70, of Dartmouth, died Monday June 6, 2011 at St. Luke's Hospital. She was the wife of Lawrence A. Ferreira and the late Donald P. Lipsett.
Born in Acushnet, the daughter of the late Earl F. and Mary (Seguin) Sherman, she lived in Fairhaven until moving to Dartmouth four years ago. She was a communicant of St. Mary's Church, Fairhaven.
A graduate of Fairhaven High School and Bristol Community College, Mrs. Ferreira worked for various nonprofit organizations over the past thirty years, most recently at St. Mary's Church, Fairhaven as an office manager. She was a member and past officer of the Sacred Hearts Association, Bierstadt Society, Fairhaven Rotary Club and the Catholic Women's Club.
Fern was an active member of St. Mary's Church for over forty years. She served on the Parish Council, was a lector and a Eucharistic Minister, chaired fund-raising events, taught religious education and participated in the Rainbows (for all God's Children) Program. She was the recipient of a Paul Harris Fellowship from the Rotary Club and received the Marian Medal from Bishop George Coleman in 2010. She enjoyed her grandchildren, dancing, painting, knitting, crocheting and cryptograms.
Survivors include her husband Lawrence; four children, Donald P. Lipsett II and his wife Ann, Joseph Lipsett, Mary E. Canha and her companion Steve Frenette, and Carrie F. Manchester and her husband Jamie, all of New Bedford; ten grandchildren, Stephanie, Thomas and Andrew Canha, Benjamin Frenette, Donald and Sydney Lipsett, Matthew Manchester, Jeffrey Clark and Michael and Katelyn Lipsett; three great-grandchildren, James Canha, Ava and Grant Clark; and many nieces and nephews. She is also survived by her siblings, Earl F. Sherman and his wife Barbara of Florida and Carol Borges of Fairhaven, and her special friend and cousin Diane Botelho. She was predeceased by her sister Marjorie Daviault and granddaughter Kristen Lipsett.
Her Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday at 10 AM in St. Mary's Church, Fairhaven. Burial will follow in Riverside Cemetery. Visiting hours Thursday 4-8 PM in the Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park St., New Bedford. For directions and guestbook please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.