Obituary of Maria Teresa Mendes

Maria Teresa Mendes, age 79, passed suddenly on March 26, 2022. Born in Ansião, Portugal, she was the daughter of the late Jose Marques Andre and the late Clementina Da Silva Gadanha. In 1964, she married the love of her life, Antonio Mendes. In 1971, they moved to the United States and settled in Philadelphia, where they raised their family. For 30 years, Maria worked alongside her husband as a seamstress at Fleet's Men and Boys Clothing Store until Antonio passed on March 22, 2001. Maria was a dedicated wife, mother, homemaker, grandmother and great-grandmother. She enjoyed crochet and gardening as well as pool aerobics with her friends. She was a devoted catholic with great devotion to Our Lady of Fatima. One of her greatest joys was the weekly gathering, with her family, on Wednesday nights for dinner, a tradition that was ongoing for more than 25 years. She is survived by loving children and their spouses: Bela Mendes Ferreira (Rui), George Mendes (MaryLou) and Paul Mendes (late Jami); grandchildren, Jessica Pisko (Joe), Jonathan (Meg), Alex, Francesca, Marco, Nick, Sharyn and Isabella; great-granddaughter Luna Bela Pisko and by seven siblings. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at noon on Wednesday, March 30, 2022, Resurrection of Our Lord Church, 2000 Shelmire Avenue, Philadelphia, where relatives and friends will be received from 10:30 AM to noon. Interment will be in Our Lady of Grace Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to St. Jude's Children Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 (www.stjude.org)