Maria Rosa (Igrejas) Pessoa, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend, of Fall River, passed away with her daughters and son by her side on Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at St. Anne’s Hospital in Fall River. She was the wife of the late Manuel José Igrejas.
Born in Terras de Bouro, Braga, Portugal, she was the daughter of the late Manuel Pessoa and Maria Clara (Antunes) Pessoa.
She is survived by her 6 children, Bina Igrejas of Braga, Portugal, Maria Igrejas Matos and her husband Lou of Fall River, Rosa Igrejas of Dartmouth, Flor Igrejas Martins and her husband Tony of Dartmouth, Adelaide Igrejas Cabral and her husband John of Dartmouth and Dr. Antὁnio Manuel Antunes Igrejas and his wife Emily of Milford; siblings, Lina Pessoa of Portugal and Américo Pessoa of Brazil; 14 grandchildren, Rui, Vania, Jonathan, Shawn, Tiago, Michaela, Alexis, Felipe, Jack, Julia, Lucas, Thomas, Camilla and James and 2 great-grandchildren, Miguel and Beatriz.
Though Rosa was unable to attend school, she strongly believed in the power of higher education to change lives. In remembrance of her life, the family asks those who wish to express sympathy to forgo flowers and instead consider making a memorial contribution by mailing a check to: In Memory of M.R. Pessoa, 251 Woodlawn St, Fall River, MA 02720 to be delivered to a local scholarship fund at a later date.
Her Visitation will be held on Tuesday, February 2, 2021 from 5:00-7:00 PM in Waring-Sullivan Home at Cherry Place, 178 Winter St, Fall River. Due to current occupancy restrictions, please be mindful that guests may have to wait outside while others pay their respects. Funeral Mass and Burial will be private.
