Lorraine (Rapoza) Gonsalves, 87, of Fall River, wife of the late Joseph Gonsalves, passed away on Tuesday, January 16, 2024 at Rhode Island Hospital after a brief illness. She was born in 1936 in Fall River in a home that her parents, the late Joaquim and Mary (Lawrence) Rapoza, shared with several other relatives.

Lorraine devoted her life to loving her family. She was the devoted wife of Joseph Gonsalves for 64 years until his passing in 2022. They traveled extensively together to various places such as Rome, Paris, Portugal, California, and Hawaii. She was also a wonderful, loving mother to her three children, Joseph, Gregory, and Douglas.

Lorraine took care of her mother, Mary; her father, Joaquim; her mother-in-law, Mary; and her aunt, Maria after they became too old and ill to care for themselves. She cared for them in their homes so that they didn't need to leave to go to nursing homes. She also visited her husband's elderly cousin, Lillian, and her elderly brother-in-law, Alfred, regularly. After raising her three children with her husband, she helped care for her brother's children, her grandchildren, and her great-grandchildren.

Lorraine worked in textile mills for many years and was a member of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union until her retirement. A devout Catholic, she was a parishioner of Espirito Santo Church and Our Lady of Health Church, where she was also a member of the Holy Rosary Society.

She leaves her three sons, Joseph J. Gonsalves and his wife Mary, Gregory J. Gonsalves and his wife Eva, and Douglas J. Gonsalves and his wife Nadine; her four grandsons, Joseph Daniel Gonsalves (wife, Susie), Joseph Kjell Gonsalves, John Paul Gregory Gonsalves, and Joshua Gonsalves; her great-grandchildren,   Adna Claire Gonsalves, Joseph Henry Gonsalves, and Frances Wade Gonsalves; her brother Steven Rapoza, her brother-in-law Alfred Gonsalves; her niece, Megan Bettencourt, and her nephew, Adam Rapoza.

Her Funeral Mass was celebrated on Thursday, January 25th, in Espirito Santo Church followed by her committal at St. Patrick Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a donation in Lorraine's memory to: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St Jude PL, Memphis, TN 38105-9959.

Family members are always grateful for relatives and friends wishing to make in-person expressions of kindness and support. If you were unable to do so, because of health concerns or any other reason, all are urged to express their sympathy online or by mail. To ensure that said condolences and/or sympathy cards reach the family, please always make sure that submissions online are made directly through the funeral home's website (www.silvafaria.com) and not through a third party. Thank you!