Maria Branco, of Fall River, wife of the late Gil R. Branco, passed away peacefully on September 30, 2023, at Clifton Rehabilitation Nursing Center in Somerset following a long illness. Born in Agua Retorta, St. Michael, Azores, she was the daughter of the late Jose Tabicas and the late Maria (Pereira) Tabicas and later immigrated to Fall River in 1956.

Maria dedicated many years of her life to her work at Cheryl Dress and Quaker Fabrics. She was not only a dedicated worker but also the cherished matriarch of her family, a role she embraced with boundless love and devotion. Maria was extremely proud to be a U.S. Citizen and obtained her citizenship in 1994.

She was the unwavering source of solutions, reliably bringing her family back to good health when they weren't feeling well. Maria was renowned for her cleanliness, caregiver, and culinary skills. She was an outstanding cook, delighting her family, neighbors and friends with her delicious meals. In addition to her culinary talents, Maria possessed a remarkable talent for fashion and sewing. She skillfully crafted stylish clothing for her family, leaving everyone admiring and often asking where these exquisite garments were bought.

Maria also had a deep love for gardening. She enjoyed planting flowers and nurturing fruit and vegetables in her garden, spending countless hours under her grapevine with her husband and granddaughters, creating lasting memories.

She leaves her loving children, Gil Branco and his wife, Ann Marie and Edward Branco, both of Fall River, Michael Branco and his wife, Stacia of Tampa, Florida, and Susan Alves of Somerset; a brother, Virgil Tabicas of Westport; and several nieces and nephews. She was also the mother of the late Victor Branco and sister of the late Manuel Tabicas, Jose Tabicas, and Luis Tabicas.

Maria's legacy lives on through her grandchildren and great-grandchildren who loved her immensely. She is survived by seven grandchildren: Loriann, Stephanie, Sherrie, Jessica, Aaron, Nolan, and Cailyn, and her five great-grandchildren: Kayla, Kory, Nathan, Owen, and Joshua.

"Maria dedicated every fiber of her being to her family until her final moments." She enriched the lives of all who knew her, and she will be deeply missed.

Her Funeral will be held on Thursday, October 5, 2023 at 9:00 AM from the Silva-Faria Funeral Home, 730 Bedford St., Fall River, with a Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated in St. Anthony of Padua Church at 10:00 AM. Her visitation will take place on Wednesday, October 4, 2023 in the Silva-Faria Funeral Home from 5-8 PM. She will be laid to rest alongside her late husband in Oak Grove Cemetery.

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 this pandemic 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!