Obituary of Rosa Goncalves Mendes

Rosa Goncalves Mendes, age 82 of Bridgeport, the beloved wife of the late Manuel Mendes for 53 years, entered into eternal rest peacefully on Friday, August 19, 2022. Rosa was Born in Torgueda da cha, Montalegre, Portugal on February 12,1940 she was a daughter of the late Joao and Aurora Goncalves Dos Santos. Rosa migrated to Angola in 1962 from which she sadly departed with other Portuguese immigrants after having made a comfortable life alongside Manuel as business owners of trading goods. She then migrated to the United States in 1978 with her husband and two children. Rosa was a hard-working woman and took great care of her family and her beloved boys that she always referred to lovingly as “Nene & Joca”. Rosa took care of her husband Manuel for many years with love and compassion after he suffered a debilitating stroke until his passing in 2014 in addition, she was instrumental in raising her grandchildren. Family time and cooking delicious meals for family were her greatest joy. She looked forward to Sunday visits with family and daily phone calls from family near and far and sitting on her porch visiting with neighbors during warmer months.  Rosa had a great sense of humor and loved to laugh and tell stories. Family was everything to Rosa.

She leaves behind two cherished sons who she adored and told she loved daily, John Mendes and his wife Elisabete of Monroe, and Domingos Mendes and his wife Ana Paula of Easton; she cherished special times with all her grandchildren; Jonathan & Justin, Max, Jackson and Sofia Mendes, there is nothing she wouldn't do for her family. Rosa also leaves behind two brothers Jose and Domingos and his wife Esmeralda and a sister Maria, as well as many nieces and nephews and family members in Portugal, France, and Canada. She will be missed by all who knew and loved her. 

In addition to her husband, she was predeceased by siblings, Ana, Joao, Francisco and Manuel.  

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, August 24, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. directly in Our Lady of Fatima Church, 429 Huntington Rd., Bridgeport. Interment will follow in Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Trumbull. Relatives and friends may greet the family on Tuesday from 4-7 p.m. at the Abriola Parkview Funeral Home, 419 White Plains Road, Trumbull.