Barbara “Tchutcha” (Brito) Braz

Barbara “Tchutcha” (Brito) Braz, 93, of Leonard Ave., East Providence, passed away peacefully with her family at her side at home, Thursday, December 6, 2018. She was the wife of the late Antonio N. Braz. She was a Gold Star Mother having lost her son Army Cpl, John B. Braz, who was killed along with 15 other soldiers while he was serving our country in the Panama Canal Zone in 1979.

Born Aug. 19, 1925, in Sao Vincente, Cabo Verde, she was a daughter of the late Serafim Julia Neves and the late Maria dePiedade Brito. She came to East Providence from Cabo Verde in December 1965. She worked many years in housekeeping at RI Hospital.

She is survived by 5 children, Joseph A. Braz and his wife Wendy of Chesterfield, VA, Antonio B. Braz and his wife Tamara of Simsbury, CT, Astrid daFonseca, Maria Monteiro and Anna Braz of East Providence; 16 grandchildren, Elizabeth, Raquel, Regina, Autria, Jessy, Shanna, Taryn, Contance, Alyssa, Steven, David, Kevin, Brian, Antwoine, Lorenzo, and Xavier; and 9 great grandchildren, Thomas, Christian, Alexander, Cayden, Aaron, Jonathan, Charlotte, Adrian, and Jrue. She was the sister of Antonia Brito of Cabo Verde, Maria deLourdes dePina and her husband Veriato of Pawtucket, and of the late Paula Maria Lima, Adelina Maria Evora and Vincente Gomes. She also leaves her brother-in-law, Francisco Lima of East Providence; many nieces and nephews and countless friends.

Her funeral will begin Monday, December 10, at 8:30am from the Rebello Funeral Home and Crematory, 901 Broadway, East Providence, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 9:30am in St. Francis Xavier Church, 81 No. Carpenter St., East Providence. Burial will follow at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery. Calling hours will be Sunday from 4pm until 7pm.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations are greatly appreciated to Home Health and Hospice Care of Nursing Placement, 334 East Ave., Pawtucket, RI 02860.