Evelyn Ponte Ramalhete, 93 of New Bedford, died Monday, April 16, 2018. Born in New Bedford, she was the daughter of late Abram Ramalhete and Lucinda (Serpa) Ramalhete Ponte Provost. She was the widow of Patrick Downey.
She attended New Bedford schools, Vesper George School of Art in Boston and went on to receive her Bachelor of Arts from New Bedford Institute of Technology (NBIT) now UMass at Dartmouth. She was first a free-lance fashion illustrator for numerous businesses in Boston and later for several local concerns, including Gollis Clothing and State Nightwear. She was employed by Bo Bernstein in Providence as a fashion illustrator.
She then taught fashion design at New Bedford Institute of Technology for more than a decade. She went on to teach art and home economics at several public schools including Sandwich, Fall River, Old Rochester, New Bedford and North Attleboro. She later continued her artistic endeavors showing her work at several galleries and shops on Cape Cod, in particular Cummaquid Fine Arts.
As a teenager she drew the sketch for the design engraved on the Koussevitsky vase by Gundersen Glass of New Bedford. She was affiliated with the New Bedford Glass Museum and the New Bedford Preservation Society. She designed many of the Pairpoint cup plates produced by these organizations.
She was a longtime friend of the late artist and author Edward Gorey, a friendship she cherished. She was a life member of the Edward Gorey Museum.
She is survived by her daughter Judith M. Downey of New Bedford.
Visitation will be Friday, April 27 from 4-7pm at the Waring-Sullivan Homes at FAIRLAWN, 180 Washington St., Fairhaven. Funeral Mass Saturday afternoon, April 28 at 1 at Our Lady of Guadalupe at St. James Church, 233 County St., New Bedford. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the Edward Gorey Museum, 18 Strawberry Lane, Yarmouthport, MA 02675
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