Idalina Pereira

Idalina Dias Pereira, age 96, of Seymour (formerly of Bridgeport), a devout Catholic, entered peacefully into eternal rest on Tuesday, March 28, 2023 at her home. She was the wife of the late Alvaro Pereira. She was born in Ludlow, Massachusetts on March 13, 1927, but raised in Donões, Portugal. She was the daughter of the late Antonio Dias and Joaquina DaCosta. She was predeceased by her brothers, Umberto DaCosta and Jose Dias and children, Anna Joaquina, Diane and Dennis.

She is survived by her daughters, Esmeralda Pereira, Adelia Crowley, Mariana Allen and Maria Al-Ghanem (Nader); her sons, Joseph Pereira (Pamela) and Dennis Pereira (Kristin); and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

After she retired from working in several factories in the area, Idalina enjoyed going to Mass daily at St. Raphael’s Church and Sunday services at Our Lady of Fatima while she was still living in Bridgeport. She loved gardening. Her roses and peonies were always beautiful and had a special knack for growing tomatoes and gilas and could grow parsley in the snow. Her folar (meat bread), bolos de bacalhau and aletria were the best in The Hollow. She cherished her grand and great-grandchildren and they all knew Avó’s secret handshake. They also finally figured out (when they got older) why her “Portuguese chicken” didn’t have skin…it was rabbit.

The family expresses their deepest gratitude to Julia and Anna as well as the staff at Constellation Hospice for their compassionate care.

Friends are invited to attend the funeral on Tuesday, April 4, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. DIRECTLY in Our Lady of Fatima Church, 429 Huntington Rd., Bridgeport, with a Mass of the Christian Burial. Entombment will follow in St. Michael Cemetery, Stratford. Friends may call Monday from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the ParenteLauro Funeral Home, 559 Washington Ave., Bridgeport. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Our Lady of Fatima Church, 429 Huntington Road, Bridgeport, CT. To sign an online guest book or to send private condolences please visit www. parentelauro.com