Maria Catarina Catarina Da Silva

Maria Catarina Alves daSilva was a giving woman for whom actions would speak louder than words. As she often said, "There's more in the pot!" Everyone, including grandchildren and great-grandchildren, referred to Catarina as "Mae." Mae means mother in Portuguese, and this is what she was to all. Mae was an excellent cook and loved to prepare food for the family. Her specialties were bacalhou, fried fish, steak, salad, and rice. The family has always tried to replicate Mae's famous salad and rice, but it's just not the same! She enjoyed spending time with family, shopping, going to garage sales, and eating seafood (especially Red Lobster), and spending time at the beach house and the farm in Santa Cruz, Portugal. Mae also enjoyed crocheting and made baby blankets and socks for her granddaughters.

Her parents were Antonio and Branca Alves da Silva. Catarina was raised in Matosinhos, Portugal. She was raised with two siblings. She had one sister Milu Real and one brother Edgar Alves da Silva. Catarina married Jose Alves daSilva in 1948. Once they moved to the United States, Jose and Catarina built a restaurant, Happy Pappy's. This sub shop has been run by the family since 1974.

Catarina was blessed with five children, Jose (Joseph) Alves da Silva, Marlene Maurice, Kenneth Alves da Silva, Deolinda Alves da Silva and Cristina Burwell. They were also blessed with seventeen grandchildren, Joe Tedim, Kathy Irizarry, Diane McCutcheon, Joshua Maurice, Lisa Wheeler, Kimberly Green, Nicole Haiber, Heather Benjamin, Mary Elizabeth Dashiell, Bruce Parent, Tiffanie Burwell, Christopher Burwell, Tammy Parent, Jason Tedim, Jarod Tedim, Sydney Tedim, Justin Tedim, Douglas DaSilva and Dennis DaSilva and 27 great grandchildren.

She is survived by her loving husband Jose Alves da Silva, five children: Jose (Joseph) Alves da Silva, Marlene Maurice, Kenneth Alves da Silva, Deolinda Alves da Silva and Cristina Burwell, seventeen grandchildren: Joe Tedim, Kathy Irizarry, Diane McCutcheon, Joshua Maurice, Lisa Wheeler, Kimberly Green, Nicole Haiber, Heather Benjamin, Mary Elizabeth Dashiell, Bruce Parent, Tiffanie Burwell, Christopher Bruwell, Tammy Parent, Jason Tedim, Jarod Tedim, Sydney Tedim, Justin Tedim, Douglas DaSilva ad Dennis DaSilva and 27 great grandchildren. Services were held at Forest Lawn Funeral Home Shrine of Ligjt Chapel. Catarina was laid to rest at Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens South in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Maria Catarina DaSilva will be greatly missed. Memories of her will forever live in the hearts of her family.