Maria Silveira Abreu

Born in 1935 in the Azores, Portugal, she immigrated to San Jose, California in the early '60s, where she began working at O’Connor Hospital in Santa Clara as a seamstress for the Daughters of Charity order. In 1968 she married Anthony J. Abreu at Five Wounds Catholic Church. She and Anthony went on to raise two sons and remained married 52 years till her death. In 1980 she founded Gelataria Picasso, a popular gelato and ice cream bar and restaurant in Little Portugal, San Jose. From 1985 to 1998 she was a successful real estate agent with her spouse “Tony” at Miner and Weber Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate in San Jose.

Maria was an extraordinarily talented seamstress and designer. She was a devout catholic and attended mass regularly at her parish Five Wounds Church. She was a community organizer and was a co-founder and president of the Portuguese Catholic Youth Organization at the parish. She also had a very large extended family in San Jose to whom she was dedicated and helped in any way she could. She was a truly selfless person who gave her attention and assistance to all whom she knew. She donated much of her free time to visiting and caring for elderly and sick family and friends throughout the years and was always so committed to her own parents who lived in her home until they passed. Her Portuguese culture remained intact and her involvement in the Portuguese community in Santa Clara County was countless. She had many friends and created lifetime bonds, always keeping in contact with them over many years. Never forgetting her roots in Pico, Azores she made sure to donate and help her loved ones on the islands, visiting frequently and staying in her childhood home there.

Maria is survived by her spouse Anthony “Tony” Abreu, her two son’s Gerard “Jerry” Abreu and John “Johnny” Abreu and her 2 daughters-in-law whom she loved like her own children Chimae and Anabela Abreu, as well as her, 7 grandchildren (Alex, Nolan, Sarah / John Jr., Amanda, Angelina and Ariana) and 3 great-grandchildren (Joseph, Jeremiah, and Josiah) and her only sister Maria Alice Custodio. She was preceded in death by her father Antonio S. Melo and mother Margarida L. Melo.

A loving wife, mother, sister, daughter, niece, aunt, cousin, and friend to so many whose hearts she touched throughout her life, she is deeply missed and will never be forgotten. For those who wish to pay their respects or send memorial flowers the funeral home is Willow Glen Funeral Home in San Jose. The family will be having a drive-thru viewing at the funeral home on Tuesday, December 29th from 11:30 am-2:00 pm all family members and friends are welcome to visit then. Due to the Covid-19 restrictions, the rosary, mass, and burial ceremony will be reserved to immediate family only. The family intends to have a “Celebration of Life” ceremony sometime in the future when permitted.