Fernanda Luisa Freitas Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

FERNANDA LUISA FREITAS Our beloved aunt, Fernanda Luisa Freitas, passed away on November 21, 2023 in American Canyon, California surrounded by her family and the staff of Greenhills Care Home. Tia Fernanda was born on July 25, 1934 in Faja Grande, Flores in the Azores Islands. She and her twin brother Antonio Luis de Freitas were the last children born to Maria Valadao de Freitas and Jose Luis de Freitas. Her other siblings were three brothers—Jose Luis, Francisco and Mario—and four sisters—Maria Lina Cardoso, Evelina Freitas Xavier, Carmen Sousa and Teresa Cardoso. Tia Fernanda married Antonio Luis de Freitas—also a native of Faja Grande—on April 28, 1958. They started their married life by working the fields together…Tio Antonio fishing and whaling in the summers and Tia Fernanda sewing and housekeeping. In early 1960 there was a large exodus of many Azoreans immigrating to Canada or the USA in search of a better life. In April Tio Antonio and Tia Fernanda left their homeland to immigrate to Canada. Life in a new country is difficult—not knowing the language or languages—and not having family or friends nearby. They started working in a farm in Montreal, Quebec, later moved to Toronto, Ontario to work in the cultivation of tobacco and carrots, and ended in Winnipeg, Manitoba where Tio Antonio worked in the Railway lines and Tia Fernanda worked in a clothing factory. They worked very hard in Canada, and in 1964 they returned to Flores to spend Christmas with the family. In 1965 they came to visit family in California and decided that they preferred life here near family and with much more pleasant weather. Tio Antonio had a sister who lived in Vallejo and that is where they settled. It turned out that his father had been in the USA and was an American citizen so after much paperwork and several trips to Sacramento and San Francisco, they acquired legal and permanent residence in another new country for them—the United States of America. They settled in Vallejo where Tio Antonio worked as a cement mason and Tia Fernanda worked in a clothing factory in Napa with other family members and Portuguese friends. In the mid 1970’s Tio Antonio and Tia Fernanda decided to retire and they purchased a townhouse in Angra, Terceira where they had some family. They lived there a while; but the “big city life” of Angra was not for them, and they returned to Vallejo where they lived for the rest of their lives. They both went back to work for a while and in 1991 they both retired completely. After their retirement they enjoyed travelling to the Azores and spending summers in Faja Grande as well as taking cruises with family and friends. Tio Antonio was very involved coaching youth soccer and they both enjoyed volunteering at the SCDES Portuguese Hall in Vallejo. Tio Antonio’s passing in March 2013 was very difficult for Tia, but like a Valadao Freitas, she was strong and carried on as best she could. Like all of the female members of the family—as the Portuguese say “umas maos perfeitas”, which translates to good with her hands. She was good at whatever she did—sewing, cooking, knitting, gardening—and she occupied herself with these activities. Tia Fernanda was pre-deceased by her husband, her parents, all of her siblings and their spouses, nephews Jose Augusto Cardoso and Francisco Luis de Freitas and niece Maria Betisse Cardoso Freitas and many other family members. In California she is survived by: Nephew: Joe Laureano Cardoso, wife Elizabeth and sons Matthew and David Nephew: JL Sousa and wife Tracy Krumpen Niece: Maria Cardoso-Bennett, husband Donnie, daughters Olivia and Brianna, and son-in-law Justin Niece: Bernice Sousa-Carden and husband Bill Carden In Massachusetts she is survived by her twin brother’s widow Maria Sizaltina de Freitas, daughter Filomena and husband and son Jose Antonio and wife Niece: Maria Fernanda Cardoso, sons Neil and wife Rose, daughter Gloria and husband Greg and son Jeff Niece: Rosalia Rego and husband Antonio, daughter Jennifer and husband and son Paul and wife In Canada she is survived by: Niece: Maria Victoria Cardoso de Sousa, husband Daniel, daughter Diana and husband Neil and daughter Cristina and husband Ryan Nephew: Helder Freitas and wife Nina, daughter Andrea and husband In the Azores she is survived by: Niece: Maria Gilda Cardoso Lima, husband Antonio and daughter Cristina In Portugal she is survived by: Brother-in-law: Jose Inacio de Freitas, daughter Elisa and husband In addition, she is survived by numerous grand and great-grand nephews and nieces and other family members in Washington, Massachusetts, Canada, the Azores and Portugal. We want to thank: The staff at Greenhills Care Home…especially Director Kam Gantan, Kharen and Kathy…for their wonderful care of Tia during the last eight years of her life. Neil and Bryan with Adya Hospice and Palliative Care for the wonderful care during the last few months. Tia Fernanda’s funeral will be on Thursday, November 30, 2023 at Twin Chapels Mortuary, 1100 Tennessee Street, Vallejo with viewing at 10AM. The Funeral Mass will follow at St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church, 925 Sacramento Street, Vallejo. Burial will follow at All Soul’s Cemetery, 550 Glen Cove Road, Vallejo. There will be a reception at Zio Fraedo Restaurant, 23 Harbor Way, Vallejo directly after the Burial. Memorials are suggested to the Adya Hospice and Palliative Care (1652 W. Texas Street, Suite 207, Fairfield, CA 94533) or the Alzheimer’s Association or to a charity of the donor’s choice.

Fernanda Luisa Freitas

July 25, 1934 - November 21, 2023