Maria I. "Bel" Rodrigues

Family & friends are respectfully invited to attend a Memorial Visitation on Thursday, November 7th from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in Vertuccio Smith & Vazza, Beechwood Home for Funerals, 262 Beach St., Revere for Maria Isabel (DaSilva) Rodrigues, who passed away on Saturday October 26th at the Lahey Clinic in Burlington, following a brief illness. She would have celebrated her 86th birthday on October 28th. A Funeral Service will be held in the funeral home at 1:00 p.m., followed by interment in Woodlawn Cemetery - Sheffield Mausoleum, Everett.
Bel, as she is affectionately known as by her family and friends, was born in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal to her late parents Jose DaSilva and Maria Zizina (Fernandes) DaSilva. She was one of six children, raised and educated in Portugal. At the age of 24, Bel journeyed to Brazil where she lived for about 10 years before settling in the United States. She was married to her husband, Joao "John" Rodrigues, and the couple moved to Revere where they would spend the next 42 years before relocating to Wakefield in 2018. Bel spent 20 years of her career working as a homemaker caring for seniors and thoroughly enjoyed her job and the people she cared for. Bel enjoyed traveling, making people laugh and having fun. She loved to dance, sing and go shopping. Wearing her pearls and diamonds, Bel was always dressed to impress. But what enjoyed the most is spending time with her friends and family, everyone of them held a special place in her heart and she loved them unconditionally. She was a late member of the Empire of the Holy Ghost Society in East Boston and for the past several years she has been a member of the Wakefield Senior Center. Bel enjoyed spending her days alongside other seniors doing yoga, Zumba and playing bingo. She would spend her days walking down Main St in Wakefield speaking with the people she met along the way greeting them with a smile.
She is the beloved wife of the late Joao L. "John" Rodrigues of 42 years. She survived by her two sisters Maria Delta DaSilva of Revere and Maria Ziza Ferreira & her late husband Henry Ferreira of Wakefield. Bel is the treasured and precious aunt of Andreia Sacca & her husband Joseph and their children Dion and Jaxson, who were like her daughter and grandchildren. She is also lovingly survived by her niece Ana Paula Dasilva of Revere, Maria Deisi DaSilva of Lowell as well as many other nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.
In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made in Bel's memory to the Wakefield Senior Center, 30 Converse St., Wakefield MA 01880.