Theresa Rose Monteiro was born in Boston, Massachusetts on November 11, 1926 to Maria Rose and Manuel Pires.  When she was a small child, she and her sister Virginia  were sent to Cape Verde to be raised by their paternal grandmother.  She lived in Fogo until her mid-twenties when she returned to the United States on the infamous boat, the Madelena.  Theresa came back to America with an urge to “be American”.  She attended night school and learned English very quickly and was eager to experience everything she had missed out on during her years in Cape Verde.  Eventually she met and married Frank Monteiro and they settled down in Dorchester.  Both hard workers, they were able to purchase a home on Harlem Street where she lived for more than 50 years. Theresa worked as a stitcher at B.F. Goodrich for a few years and it was here that she met Isobel Walcott. Their friendship lasted until the day she died (almost 55 years!)  She moved on to Massachusetts General Hospital where she worked in the Nutrition Services department and her job allowed her to meet many celebrities, dignitaries and VIPs.  When she retired after 25 years, she had made many, many friends who would still ask about her 24 years later. Theresa didn’t have many hobbies (she was too busy working and raising her family!) but she did have a few passions:  church every Sunday, Bingo every Monday night, soap operas, movies with friends and  traveling.  She loved telling stories about her trips to Hawaii, Barbados and California.  After she retired, she returned to Cape Verde for the first time since she had left 40 years prior. Theresa leaves behind her loving children Carlos Pires Sr., Fatima “Tina” Pires-DaCruz and her husband Manuel, Cheryl Pires-Taylor, Lynn Monteiro, Virginia Monteiro and Frank Monteiro II and his wife Leocadia who were all at her bedside when she passed; her step-children Maria and Andre Monteiro; her grandchildren Anna Pires, Carlos Pires Jr., Nancy Pires, Arnaldina “Nalda” Finney & her husband Timothy, Melissa Theresa Reed, Frank Monteiro III and his wife Marissa, Erica Taylor, Michelle Sailsman, Isana and  Terŕe Freire and Faith-Virginia Monteiro; and her great-grandchildren Tissa, Christopher, Louis, Adrianna and Savanna Hernandez, Myra Finney, Jayden Sailsman, Payton Whitmore, Caiah Pires, Timothy “TJ” Finney Jr., Sienna Rodriguez and Jordan Campbell.  Nana Theresa had a special bond with and was so proud of her grandkids and great-grands and she will be greatly missed by them all. Steven Sailsman and Theresa’s two godchildren also held a very special place in her heart.  When

speaking of Anthony Bento and Susan Gomes, she would say, “I have the best godchildren in the world!” Theresa was predeceased by her husband Frank, her father and beloved stepmother Manuel and Anna Pires, her sister Virginia Pires, her brothers John Perreira and Eugene Rose, her son Jose “Joey” Freire and her grandson Christopher Pires.  Hopefully they are all enjoying a wonderful reunion! Theresa had too many friends to list here, but she loved and appreciated all of them and as she aged and her memory started to fail, she was very concerned about keeping in touch with everyone.  She had a list of phone numbers and tried to call everyone on it at least once a month. Martin Luther King Jr. said “The quality, not the longevity, of one’s life is what is important.”  Theresa was lucky enough to have had both.  She lived almost 90 wonderful years and everyone who knew her will never forget her.

Theresa was the beloved wife of the late Frank V. Monteiro. Devoted mother of Carlos Pires of Charlestown, Fatima “Tina” Pires  DaCruz and her husband Manuel of RI, Cheryl Pires-Taylor, Lynn Marie Monteiro & Virginia Monteiro all of Dorchester, Frank V. Monteiro, II and his wife Leocadia of N. Easton and the late Jose M. Freire. Sister  of Manuel Pires of Lynn. Also survived by 11 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in St. Katharine Drexel Church, 517 Blue Hill Ave., Boston, Fri., Sept., 30 at 10’oclock.  Visiting Hours in the Dolan Funeral Home, 1140 Washington St., DORCHESTER LOWER MILLS, Thurs 5-8 pm. Interment New Calvary Cemetery. Late 25 year employee Mass General Hospital.