Maria Madalena Maulis

Maria Madalena Maulis peacefully departed this life on May 15, 2025. She was born Maria Madalena Almada on April 3, 1951, in Ribeira D'Areia, São Jorge, in the Azores, to Francisco and Amelia Almada. Her mother lovingly welcomed her, overjoyed to have another baby girl.

Maria Madalena was a cherished daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She was deeply rooted in family, descended from the Azevedo family on her mother’s side and from Mariana Augusta and João Pedroso Almada on her father’s. She grew up among a close-knit group of siblings: brothers José, João, Francisco, Eduardo, António, and Manuel, and sisters Maria Teresa and Maria Laura. She is survived by all of them.

A devoted and selfless mother, Maria Madalena raised her sons Paul, Delmar and Luis Gregorio in the Azores and welcomed her daughter Diane Gregorio in California. She carried the memory of her beloved son Delmar Gregorio and her first husband, José Pereira Gregorio, both of whom preceded her in death.

She found love again and shared 33 beautiful years of marriage with her second husband, Van Maulis, who survives her.

Maria Madalena is also survived by her grandchildren: Paul Anthony, Gisselle, Breana, Christian, Jakob Gregorio, and Brittney Hernandez; and her great-grandchildren, Amelia and Ava Gregorio.

Known for her incredible cooking, she brought family together around the table with warmth and generosity. Her food was an extension of her love—a love she shared freely with everyone she met. She had a sympathetic, nurturing spirit and was known as a “mother to all,” always taking care of those around her.

She had an extraordinary green thumb. Her home bloomed with life—plants thrived under her care just as people did in her presence.

Maria Madalena loved being outdoors and found joy in simple pleasures, especially family picnics. She fondly remembered summer days beneath the Cryptomeria trees on her parents' land, and weeks spent by the ocean at her family’s old home. Those memories—filled with laughter, food, and faith—remained close to her heart.

Faith was a cornerstone of her life. Her mother named her after a figure from the Bible, and in her final days, Maria Madalena found comfort and strength in her relationship with the Lord. She thanked Him for His love and protection, and trusted in His care. Surely, the Lord keeps her forever.