Maria Helena Ventura

Maria Helena (Furtado Medeiros) Ventura, 98, of Southpointe Rehabilitative Center, formerly of East Main Street, passed away Monday at the center. She was the wife of the late Humberto I. Mendonca Ventura.

Born in Fall River, MA, a daughter of the late Jose Furtado Medeiros and Isabel Conceicao (Galhardo) Correia.

At the age of five, the family returned to her parent’s home country of St. Michael, Azores. She grew up in Ponta Delgada and worked as a seamstress for various shops and boutiques.

She returned to Fall River, along with her husband in the 1950’s and worked as a machine operator for the former Chesterfield and Needlecraft Manufacturing for many years retiring in 1987.

She is survived by a god-daughter and caretaker, Fernanda P. DaPonte of Fall River; and several nieces and nephews. She was the sister of the late Marcilino Furtado Medeiros and Gilda Sousa.

Her funeral will be held on Saturday at 9 a.m. from the Oliveira Funeral Home 2064 South Main St., followed by a Funeral Mass at 10 a.m. in Good Shepherd Parish. Interment in Notre Dame Cemetery. Visitation morning of funeral 8:00 - 9:30 a.m.