Lydia Jeanette Medeiros

Portsmouth, RI - Lydia J. Ferreira Medeiros, 88, of 910 Wapping Road, died June 15, 2009 after a long battle with cancer. She was the wife of the late Joseph D. Medeiros Born in Portsmouth, RI on April 13, 1921, she was the daughter of the late Jesse T. Ferreira and Filomenia Freitas Ferreira.Before joining the former A P Store of Middletown, in 1955, she owned the former Lydias Market on Freeborn St. from 1941 to 1947. She was a communicant of St. Barnabas Church. Lydia was a member of the former Catholic Womens Club of St. Barnabas and Past President and chairman of the church kitchen committee of the Festival, she was also a member of the Democratic Womens Club of Portsmouth.She was recently honored by the St. Barnabas Festival Committee as one of the charter members. She is survived by her two children, Linda Bigelow and her husband Bill of Portsmouth, RI and her son Joseph Medeiros and his wife Diana of Boca Raton, FL. Lydia had four grandchildren, William Bigelow and Alicia Gardner of Portsmouth and Joseph and Daniel Medeiros of Boca Raton, FL. Three step grandchildren, Angela Brown, Gina Gubana and Carla Dangerfield all of Boca Raton, FL. Eight great grandchildren: Selena, Vanessa, Vincent, Vaughan, Alexis, Emma, Bianca and Abagail and three step great grandchildren, Luca, Christian and Tatum She is survived by her brother August Gus Ferreira and his wife Eileen.She was preceded in death by her brothers Manuel, Joseph, Jesse, John and Edward and her sister Mary Silvia. Her funeral will be held on Thursday, June 18, 2009, at 9:00AM, from the Connors Funeral Home, 55 West Main Road, Portsmouth, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00AM, in St. Barnabas Church, 1697 East Main Road, Portsmouth.Burial will be in St. Columbas Cemetery in Middletown.Calling hours will be held on Wednesday, from 4-8pm, in the funeral home. Donations in her memory may be made to VNS Hospice, 1184 East Main Road, Portsmouth, RI 02871.