PAWTUCKET

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Together, they built a beautiful life rooted in love, family, faith, and the cherished customs and traditions of their Portuguese heritage.

Maria Candida (Silva de Almeida) Prazeres, 86, of Pawtucket, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, in the comfort of her home, surrounded by the love of her family. She was the beloved wife of the late Manuel Lopes Prazeres, with whom she shared 56 wonderful years of marriage before his passing in 2022.

Born on March 24, 1940, in Vide Entre Vinhas, Portugal, she was the daughter of the late Fernando de Almeida and Maria Jose da Silva.

Maria and her husband began their life together in Portugal before immigrating to the United States with their young family in 1972, eventually settling in Rhode Island. Together, they built a beautiful life rooted in love, family, faith, and the cherished customs and traditions of their Portuguese heritage.

Maria was employed for many years at Hasbro, Inc., in Pawtucket, where she was known for her dedication and strong work ethic.

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Her warmth, generosity, and enduring love for others left a lasting impression on all whose lives she touched.

A devoted communicant of Saint John Paul II Parish in Pawtucket, Maria was a woman of deep and unwavering Catholic faith. Her devotion was reflected in her daily prayers of the Rosary, through which she found strength, comfort, and peace throughout her life.

Maria found great happiness in life's simple pleasures, particularly tending to her vegetable garden, flowers, and fruit trees. She took tremendous pride in nurturing everything she grew and was always eager to share the fruits of her labor with family, friends, and neighbors. Her generosity extended into the kitchen, where she was an exceptional cook who lovingly prepared traditional Portuguese meals and homemade specialties. Her delicious jellies, arroz doce, doughboys, biscoitos, and countless other Portuguese dishes and desserts were family favorites.

For Maria, the dining room table was much more than a place to share a meal; it was the heart of her home, where generations gathered, stories were exchanged, laughter was shared, and lasting memories were created. She delighted in recounting stories of her childhood in Portugal, offering her children and grandchildren a glimpse into the traditions, experiences, and values that shaped her life.

Maria possessed a genuine, spirited, and wonderfully humorous personality that endeared her to everyone fortunate enough to know her. She had a remarkable ability to offer thoughtful advice, practical wisdom, and honest insight, often accompanied by her unmistakable sense of humor. Her warmth, generosity, and enduring love for others left a lasting impression on all whose lives she touched.

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Nothing brought her greater joy than having her family gathered together, especially around her table, where her love was expressed through every meal, every conversation, and every cherished moment.

A woman of extraordinary strength and determination, Maria courageously overcame both colon and stomach cancer. Her resilience in the face of life's challenges was a testament to her remarkable spirit, steadfast faith, and unwavering devotion to those she loved.

Above all, Maria's greatest accomplishment and most treasured blessing was her family. As a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, she devoted her life to their happiness and well-being. Nothing brought her greater joy than having her family gathered together, especially around her table, where her love was expressed through every meal, every conversation, and every cherished moment. Her legacy of faith, perseverance, generosity, and unconditional love will continue to live on through the generations of her family.

She leaves her three loving children, Fatima M. Trindade and her husband, Joao, of Seekonk, Massachusetts; Paulo J. Prazeres and his wife, Ana, of North Attleboro, Massachusetts; and Cezarina "Sue" Jackson and her husband, Eric, of Seekonk, Massachusetts.

She was the cherished grandmother of Jonathan, Andrew, Cassandra, Sophia, and Evan, and the proud great-grandmother of Paislee and Jonathan. She also leaves several nieces and nephews.

Maria was the sister of the late Antonio, Jose, Ana, Manuel, Joaquim, and Raul.

Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend Maria's Life Celebration, beginning with Visiting Hours on Monday, October 12, 2026, from 4 to 8 PM, and continuing on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at 10 AM at the J. J. Duffy Funeral Home, 757 Mendon Road, Route 122, Cumberland. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:30 AM at Saint John Paul II Parish, 755 Central Avenue, Pawtucket. Burial will follow in Mount St. Mary Cemetery, Pawtucket.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Maria's memory to HopeHealth, 1085 North Main Street, Providence, RI 02904, or online at www.hopehealthco.org.

ONLINE MEMORIAL: www.jjduffyfuneralhome.com