Mary “Mae” Sunderland (Rapoza) Souza, age 91, passed away at her residence in North Dartmouth on Sunday, September 2, 2018. She was the wife of Raymond Souza since 1994 and the wife of the late Norman C. Sunderland for more than 40 years.
Born in San Jon Pico, Azores she was the daughter of the late Joseph S. Rapoza, Sr. and Mary Constance (Tavares) Rapoza.
As a youth, she participated in minstrel shows at St. John’s Church and was President of her senior class at New Bedford High School graduating in January 1945. As a young mother, she was the den mother for her son’s Cub Scout Troop, was involved in the Fall River Diocese Catholic Woman’s Club, the St John’s Couples Club, and was active in the school PTA.
Mary worked at Corson’s Cadillac, was a bookkeeper for Silverstein’s Clothing Store, and worked as a clerk in the Civil Department of New Bedford 3rd District Court, retiring in 1993 after 25 years of service. For the last 20 years, Mary and Raymond wintered in Sarasota, FL.
She is survived by her daughter Linda Sunderland Bourgault and her husband Thomas of Plymouth; six grandchildren, Audra Couture, Danielle Craaybeek, Jessica Manning, Dawn Norris, Christian Sunderland and Bryan Bourgault; two step-grandchildren, Victoria and Sophia Cameron; her daughter-in-law Nancy Sunderland; two stepchildren, Karin Cameron and Allan David Souza; eleven great-grandchildren; her dear cousin Lucille Gioello; and several nieces and nephews. She was the sister of the late Joseph S. Rapoza Jr. and Edmund S. Rapoza, mother of the late Dr. Bruce N. Sunderland, and stepmother-in-law of the late Larry Cameron.
Mary was happiest when surrounded by family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Her visitation will be held on Friday, September 7, 2018, from 4-7pm at Waring-Sullivan Home, 230 Russells Mills Road, South Dartmouth. Her funeral service will be held Saturday at 9am at the funeral home followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10am at St Julie Billiart Church, 494 Slocum Road, Dartmouth. Burial will be in St. John’s Cemetery. Donations in her memory may be made to Beacon Hospice, 182 N. Main St., Fall River, MA 02720, or to the American Heart Association National Center, 7272 Greenville Avenue, Dallas, TX 75231. For Tributes and directions: www.waring-sullivan.com
