Ana M. Duarte

The gates of heaven opened for Ana Duarte, 78 on August 4, 2023. She was surrounded by her

loving family who will continue to honor her legacy by cherishing each day to the fullest. Born

on June 27, 1945, in beautiful Angra Do Heroísmo, Portugal, she was the daughter of Alfredo

Duarte and Gilberta DeNatal Medeiros.

Ana was nothing short of fabulous. Her passion for style and home décor was impeccable. She

was so easy to please. She loved nothing more than a day spent shopping at her favorite stores

Macy’s and TJ Maxx, always seeking to find a Michaels Kors purse or two! She was an avid

collector of Old Country Roses china which she proudly displayed in her home. She was an

amazing cook and welcomed everyone with a warm home cooked meal, ensuring there wasn’t a

single person who left her home with the desire to eat another bite. She loved entertaining,

especially on holidays when she would serve homemade Portuguese sweets and tea in her

favorite china. She was an excellent hostess with a keen eye for detail. She took pride in her

home; it meant the world to her.

A strong-willed opinionated woman, she was able to offer an honest opinion while always

building you up to your fullest potential. She was the embodiment of grace and undeniable

maternal instinct. She had the ability to turn one’s self-doubt into a calmness, exuding more

faith than one often believed in themselves. Ana’s love was fierce, genuine, and given without

expectation. Her forgiveness was pure and limitless. A spirit so profound it soared far beyond

this earthly realm; hence the lord called upon his angel.

As a young woman, she fell in love with Manuel Raposo, they married and began a life together.

They blissfully had five children together. On January 1, 1980, her love story was tragically cut

short when an earthquake left her widowed and homeless. This tragedy proved her strength

and resilience. She left Portugal, seeking a better life for her five children. She began to clean

homes for a living, while also taking on many odd jobs always working towards a better future.

She always made a house into a home and filled it with so much love that her children never felt

poor, but rather rich with love.

In 1991, she married the second and only other love of her life Dionisio Ferreira. They shared 23

years of marriage together until his passing in 2015. She loved and cared for him at home until

he took his very last breath.

In 2021, she lost her beloved daughter Carla. Despite grieving a loss in which she would never

fully recover, she took over raising her grandson Noah without a second of hesitation. Her love

for him was selfless, unconditional, and beyond measure. He was her pride and her joy. Though

her heart would be forever broken, her strength once again prevailed. She was the true

meaning of matriarch, a real-life force of nature. She was a hero to all whom she loved and will

always be remembered for her immeasurable courage to overcome adversity.

She is survived by her sons Duarte and Alexandre Raposo of Angra, Portugal, Albert Raposo of

New Bedford, Ana Couto and her husband Shane of Freetown, her grandchildren: Brian Correia,

Noah Figueroa, Mathew Couto, and Owen Couto. Her sister Hildeberta Andrade of San Diego,

CA. She was predeceased by her daughter Carla Raposo as well as her two sisters Albertina

Pacheco and Dores Duarte.

She left many saddened by her loss yet comforted in knowing she is now reunited with her

daughter in eternal peace. To say she will be missed is an understatement.

Ana’s services with cremated remains will be held on Monday August 21 at Our Lady of Mt Carmel Church at 10:00 A.M. Everyone is asked to meet directly at Church. Burial will follow at Rural Cemetery.

Arrangements are placed in the care of Perry Funeral Home 111 Dartmouth St. New Bedford, MA 02740. Please see our website: www.perryfuneral.com for condolences.