Maria Jose Mendes Gomes, known as “ZEZA” to those who loved her, joined the angels in Heaven on Friday January 10th, after a brief illness. She was the beloved wife of Jose Gomes for 62 years and sister to Tete Mendes. Mother to Teresa Fonseca and her husband Francisco, Joe Gomes and his wife Sandra, Michelle Hamilton and her husband Jerome and Michael Coelho and his fiancé Christine. Zeza’s greatest love was for her grandchildren Tatiana and her husband Andrew, Alexandra and her fiancé Josh, Jacob, Emily, Isabella, Noah, Jack and Jordan.

Zeza loved to spend her summers in her native Portugal, in her home by the sea. Her insatiable love of gardening, often kept her out long after the sun had set. She was a master with her needles and thread, creating embroidered and cross stitched masterpieces for her family and friends. But her most precious gifts came from her role as Mother and Grandmother. She loved her family beyond reason. As a dear friend said, she knew how to let us spread our wings and fly and to hold you close when you flew home. Now Zeza has flown home to God, leaving us with a legacy of love and memories. We are left with empty arms but gained a loving angel to watch over us.

May she rest in eternal peace.