Lucille Santos Paiva, age 89, passed away on Monday, January 17, 2022. Lucille was born June 26, 1932 in Lisbon, Portugal and immigrated to Newark, NJ at the age of 16. Lucille was a proud graduate of East Side High School, Newark, NJ. She then moved to Rahway, NJ, upon which at a Portuguese dance hall, she met a handsome man named Joseph. They married in 1954 and moved to a modest Cape Cod home in Clark, NJ, where they would remain for 64 years, raising their 5 children. In 2018 they moved to Cape Coral, Fla., after being snowbirds for 25 years in Kissimmee and West Palm Beach, Fla.
She was a devoted wife and a wonderful mother and homemaker who loved to crochet, sew clothes, curtains and blankets, make crafts, do paint by number paintings, cook and bake. She was fond of her stuffed animals and dolls, but most of all, she loved her family. Visiting the beach was a favorite pastime for them all. When her children were older, Lucille decided to work outside of the home as a bookkeeper at the Rahway Record in Rahway, and later at TNF-Transnational Fabricators in Linden.
A cancer diagnosis at age 60 caused Lucille to relinquish her duties at her job and focus on her health. She fought a long and courageous battle with cancer for 29 years, with a soldier-like attitude, a cheerful disposition and a smile that made it seem like it was nothing. She always maintained a good sense of humor through it all. Lucille was a devout Catholic, and her strong faith got her through many trials in life. She prayed for everyone constantly and, especially after 9/11, prayed the rosary daily.
Lucille was truly an amazing woman and will be greatly missed by all who were lucky enough to know her and love her.
Lucille was predeceased by her parents, John and Alice Moura and her eldest son, Joseph M. Paiva. She is survived by her devoted husband, Joseph A.; her loving children and their spouses, daughter Lucie Kunka (John), sons John, Anthony (Laura), James (Mary), daughter-in-law Madeline (Joseph M. deceased); her cherished grandchildren, Michael Kunka (Malysha), Steven Kunka (Elizabeth), Joseph J., Alexa, Anthony C., and Nicholas; her beautiful great granddaughter, Lucille O. Kunka; her sister, Marie Oliveira; her brother-in-law Antonio T. (Maria); and her loving nieces, Carla Oliveira and Ana (Tony DeMatos); and her great nephews/niece, James and Julian Oliveira, and Daniel and Catarina DeMatos.
Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend the visitation at the Walter Johnson Funeral Home on Friday, January 28 from 4:00 pm to 7:00pm. A Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, January 29 at 11:30 am at St. Helen Church, Westfield. Interment will follow in St. Gertrude Cemetery, Colonia. The family will be having a private celebration of her life. To offer condolences please visit www.walterjohnsonfh.com.
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