Marguerite Caetano

Marguerite grew up in a house her father built, surrounded by her 8 wonderful brothers. There was never a dull moment—whether spending long hours at the creek, watching her brothers leap from the second-story window into the bushes below, or witnessing the typical tomfoolery of teenage boys launching flaming cans of gasoline into the air. These lively days were tempered by sorrow when her beloved father passed away when she was just 16. A kind and gentle soul admired by many. He helped balance her mother’s Irish spirit. Despite this loss, Marguerite persevered, graduating from Roosevelt High School in 1949.

She worked at the Howard Johnson Soda Fountain in Hyde Park, for pocket change and to fund her education at Krissler Business Institute. Graduating in 1950, she began a career at IBM, where her boss once told her she was “going places in the company.” Marguerite, however, had other plans. Jim Walsh, a family friend introduced her to a dashing young naval pilot, Lt. Cmdr. Manuel F. Caetano, they were engaged within six weeks and married six weeks later in June 1955 at the beautiful Stanislaus Catholic Church in Pleasant Valley.

After the birth of their first child, Marguerite and Manuel moved to Pensacola, FL, where he was stationed as a flight instructor at NAS. In their modest three-bedroom, 700-square-foot home, Marguerite lovingly raised their eight children. Marguerite longed to have 9 children, just as her mother had, however, the Lord had other plans and blessed her with 8.

Dedicated to her children’s growth, Marguerite enrolled her daughters in Girl Scouts and later founded a Cub Scout den for her sons and neighborhood children. Her guidance helped two of her boys achieve the rank of Eagle Scout. Marguerite also held prayer meetings in her home, nurturing faith and community.

As her children grew, Marguerite devoted herself to her grandchildren, serving as a Eucharistic minister, visiting the sick in nursing homes and sharing amazing stories of her youth. Her life was a testament to resilience, devotion, and love.

Marguerite is survived by her brother William “Billy,” her 8 children, Ellen, Elizabeth, Edith, Elaine, Michael, Richard, Robert (Alan), & James, 17 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, and dozens of nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Manuel Caetano; father Leo Paul Richard in 1947; her mother, Marguerite Agatha Monahan, and seven of her brothers, Leo Jr, Gustav, James (Jim), Albert, John, Peter, and Thomas and grandson, Daniel Hays.

Her legacy of faith, family, and service will live on in the hearts of all who knew her.

A visitation will be held at Eastern Gate Memorial Funeral Home, located at 1985 West Nine Mile Road, Pensacola, FL, on November 18, 2025, from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

The funeral service is scheduled for November 19, 2025, at 10:00 am at Nativity of Our Lord, 9945 Hillview Dr, Pensacola, FL, 32514.

A committal service will follow at Barrancas National Cemetery, 1 Cemetery Rd, Pensacola, FL, 32508, on November 19, 2025, at 1:00 pm.