Maria "Mimi" C. Andrade, 94 of Westport, Massachusetts, passed away after a short illness on Tuesday, February 27 with her loving family by her side.  Mimi was the beloved wife of the late Valerio P. Andrade and the daughter of the late Manuel Joaquim Andrade and the late Maria Pereira Andrade.

Born in Funchal on Madeira Island, she grew up in a beautiful environment of mountains, sea, and lush flowers. Maria immigrated to the United States in 1955 soon after marrying Valerio. They raised five daughters in the home they built together in Westport, MA.  Prior to retiring, Mimi worked as a sales associate at the F.R. Knitting Mills and then as a seamstress at several bridal shops. She was a parishioner of Our Lady of Grace Church in Westport and a former member of its Women's Guild.  Mimi was a world traveler who enjoyed gardening, country drives, the beauty of the Watuppa Pond from her living room window, as well as sharing conversation and coffee around the table with family and friends. She was a strong woman known for her kindness, generosity, humor, grace and determination.  Hers was a life well lived, by one well loved.

Mimi is survived by 5 daughters: M. Clara A. Perestrello of Westport, Sally M. Borrego of New Bedford and her husband Ben, Valerie H. Rogers of Nantucket and her husband Kevin, Rebecca A. Andrade of Fall River and her wife Angela, and Catherine M. Andrade of Westport and her companion Joshua Briere ; 2 siblings: Joel Pereira Andrade of Fall River, and Gija Kaddouri of Florida; 7 grandchildren: Paul, Joshua, Timothy, Jeremiah, Anna, Eric, and Justin; 10 great grandchildren and many nieces & nephews. Mimi was predeceased by 11 siblings.

Mimi's funeral will take place from the Manuel Rogers Funeral Home, 1521 N. Main St., Fall River on Friday, March 8, 2024 at 9:45 A.M. followed by a Funeral Mass at Our Lady of Grace Church, Westport at 11 A.M. Interment in Beech Grove Cemetery, Westport. Calling hours on Thursday, March 7, 2024 from 4-7 P.M.

Please leave a sympathy message to the family on www.rogersfuneral.com to show them support. You may also light a candle in honor of Maria or send a beautiful flower arrangement to the funeral service.

Due to allergies and sensitivities, the family asks that lilies not be sent to the funeral home.

Below is a heartfelt tribute that aims to capture the essence of who Mimi was as a person and how she made those around her feel

Good afternoon, dear friends and family. Thank you for your presence here today to commemorate my mother, Maria de Ceu "Mimi" Andrade, a strong, generous, funny, feisty, force of nature for whom we are all grateful to have known and loved. In 2006, when Mom was 76, I interviewed her for a Human Development course asking her to reflect on her life story. I used her words and stories from that interview to write this tribute.

Hellen Keller once said that "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." Mom embraced the daring adventure of life, propelled by her faith, strength, and a deep desire to enjoy every aspect of her existence.

She told me that she had a "beautiful childhood" in Funchal, Madeira, growing up in a large, close-knit family. Her mother encouraged all of her children to try different activities, and mom enjoyed spending her time accompanied by siblings and friends swimming and playing volleyball. She especially enjoyed making clothing, and was so skilled as a seamstress that at the age of 13, she made 2 wedding dresses for women in the community. Mom was so petite that her father had to build her a custom stool so that she stood high enough to make the alterations! She said she did this not so much to make money, but because she enjoyed the creative process.

At the age of 20, she met a "good looking" American, Valerio, who was visiting family on the island. He fell for her and kept a picture of her with him at all times in his wallet. Five years later, he returned to propose. His back up plan was to join his uncle running safaris in Africa if she turned him down. Mom said yes, and Pop would joke that instead of catching a four legged deer, he caught a two legged one!

Mom immigrated to the US in 1955 to join my father, and they settled into an apartment in Fall River. Armed with a seemingly indestructible confidence in her abilities, as well as the unwavering belief that God would provide the necessary opportunities, Mom consistently demonstrated her resourcefulness and determination to make any situation work. For example, she spoke of attending storytimes at the local library with her children, where she would ask for a copy of the book being read, following along and taking the book home to practice her reading in English.

My mother was so proud to be an American and thankful for the freedom afforded her here, but she never veered from her Madeiran roots. Friends and family were always most important to Mom. Her mother taught her to go out of her way to make people feel welcome, especially in her home and there were always plenty of people at our house. It was common to come home to find relatives, friends, friends of relatives, relatives of friends, or even Japanese exchange students sitting at our table. The door was always open, the coffee always flowing and the laughter was contagious. Weekends usually found our house overflowing with aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and neighbors. We'd pile into the cars and head down to the beach, then we would enjoy a clam boil or cook out in the backyard. In the winter we'd all go ice skating on the Watuppa or sledding down the hill, warming up with hot cocoa and a slice of carrot cake, (mom's favorite).

Mom also had a need to keep busy, and she especially enjoyed engaging with others while doing so. She relished chaperoning her daughters' field trips, chatting with the other moms at Westport Town Beach as we attended swimming lessons, volunteering at the Senior Center and participating in the Women's Guild at Our Lady of Grace Church. She did all this while maintaining a stylish hairdo and dressing impeccably. Mom liked looking fashionable. Mom, known to some as Mrs. Macys, was on a first name basis with the salespeople at that department store. In fact, my nephew Josh pointed out to me this week that the Macy's stock dipped mournfully on the day she passed.

Mom lived her life to the fullest, taking every opportunity to expose herself to new experiences. Traveling, she proclaimed, was in her blood and she relished sharing these adventures with others, whether it be a weekend jaunt to Lake Winnipesaukee, a cruise along Alaska's Inside Passage, or a grand tour of Europe. Mom drank tea on the Orient Express and rode camels in Morocco. She kissed the Blarney stone in Ireland, promenaded down Main St. with the Mayor at Walt Disney World, and walked through the gardens at Versailles. She prayed at Fatima, was awed by the beauty of Alhambra, and partied like a pirate on a Caribbean Cruise. Mom believed that traveling with your children was one of the most important things you can do as a parent, because you create some of your best memories that way. Indeed, some of the most memorable times we shared as a family began with packing up the beach wagon and heading out on a road trip. As a family, we drove out west several times to Wyoming and Colorado, visiting family, state capitals and National Parks along the way. Her favorite place to visit, however, was Madeira and she returned many times to see family and friends.

My sister, Valerie, said that mom "our own Doris Day" because she would often tell us, "Que Sera Sera. Whatever will be, will be." That is true, but while the world shifted and changed throughout my mother's life, she always stood firmly in her faith that God had her back and that she had the strength, resilience and tenacity to be the architect of her own destiny. By her example, she gave us a template of how to move through this world with grace, kindness, courage, an open mind and open heart, while making sure to enjoy the ride.

During the interview I mentioned earlier, Mom said "I had a beautiful growing up…I had a wonderful husband and a very good marriage…I enjoyed being with my children… I stayed close with my family…I had very good friends…I got along with most people because I treated them with respect and they treated me the same way. I did things that I enjoyed and if something wasn't for me, I'd do something else. I've had a very good life."

That fact cannot be argued. Hers was a life well lived by one well loved.