Maria Esperanca (Sebastiao) Pereira, 86, of Somerset, wife of the late Manuel Dias Pereira, Jr., passed away peacefully at the Fall River Jewish Home on Tuesday, January 7, 2020 after a long illness.

Born in Rabo de Peixe, St. Michael, Azores, she was a daughter of the late Manuel and Maria de Jesus (do Couto) Sebastiao.

She, along with her late husband, owned and operated Amazonia Co., a men's clothing store in Fall River, for many years. She loved cooking for her family and listening to forums on the radio and TV. As a devout Catholic, Maria was very involved in many church activities notably as an active member of Grupo Carismatico, as well as the Nossa Senhora da Luz Society.  She also greatly enjoyed her travels to the Holy Land, The Vatican, Azores, France, Spain, and Portugal and, most importantly, she loved visiting and spending quality time with her granddaughters.

She leaves: her two sons, Candido Pereira and his wife, Mary, of Naperville, Illinois, and Richard Pereira of Somerset; granddaughters, Laurel Pereira and Amanda Pereira; two brothers, Edmundo Sebastiao and his wife, Amalia and Eduardo Sebastiao (late wife, Conceicao); and many nieces and nephews.

Her Funeral Mass was celebrated on Saturday, January 11th, in St. John of God Church, Somerset followed by her committal and entombment at the Notre Dame Cemetery Mausoleum in Fall River.

In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a donation in Maria's memory to: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place. Memphis, TN 38105-9959 or Make-A-Wish Foundation, 20 Hemingway Drive, Riverside. Rhode Island, 02915.