Helena de Chaves Sousa

Helena de Chaves Sousa passed away peacefully, in the comforting presence of her beloved daughter and surrounded by the love of her family on Wednesday March 27th 2024 at Cambridge Memorial Hospital in her 93rd year.

Helena was born on June 3rd 1931 in Santa Maria, Azores to Manuel de Chaves and Gloria de Andrade Chaves. Helena married the love of her life, Jose de Melo Sousa in 1953 and sadly lost him in 1986 after his brief but courageous battle with cancer. They are once again reunited.

Helena was a kind and courageous soul. She was a phenomenal mother to her two children Goretti Bento and George Sousa and their respective spouses Antonio Bento and Ann Sousa whom she considered and treated as her own children. Her love for her children was boundless.

She had a very special and deep bond with her grandchildren Karen Bento (Derek Resendes), Aaron Geekie-Sousa (Andrew Geekie-Sousa), Justin Sousa (Victoria Johnson), and Kevin Bento (Rebecca Van Kan). As children, Vavó’s home was the best place to be. Vavó lived and embodied the best of human qualities including boundless generosity and unconditional love and not to mention her skills around a kitchen. She was a magnificent cook.

Helena was a great story teller. She had a vivid recollection of her childhood and of the family stories told to her by her mother Gloria and her dear grandmother Antonia. Helena loved to share these memories and stories that now live on with her family.

Helena is survived by her loving sister Beatriz Figueiredo (Manuel Figueiredo) of Cambridge. She is predeceased in death by her siblings Maria Valentina (Manuel Puim), Maria dos Santos (Antonio Costa), Maria Paulina de Chaves and Jose de Chaves.

Family and friends are welcome to join us at Coutts Funeral Home on Monday April 1st 2024 from 6-9 p.m. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at Our Lady of Fatima Church in Cambridge on Tuesday April 2nd 2024 at 10 a.m. Interment will follow at Mount View Cemetery.

A special thank you to the staff at Cambridge Memorial Hospital who treated mom and the family with empathy and kindness during her brief stay in the Emergency Department.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mom’s memory to the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada, the Canadian Cancer Society or the charity of your choice and would be greatly appreciated by the family.