Flavia Gomes Depina Pontes

Flavia Gomes DePina Pontes was the beloved wife of Jose Heleno Brito Pontes, the love of her life, who predeceased her in 2021.

She was a loving and devoted mother to Judi Pontes and her husband Domingos Fernandes of California, Maria DaRosa and her husband Gabriel DaRosa of Boston, Teresa Maria Barros and her husband Pedro Barros of Boston, Maria Teresa Pontes of Boston, Jose Elisbão Pontes and his wife Maria “Luta” Pontes of Holbrook, Ildeberto “Bert” Pontes of Boston, Docelina “Darcy” Pontes of Weston, Crisolita Pontes-Alves and her husband Jean Alves of South Easton, Jose “Joe” Pontes and his wife Renee Sylvestro of Boston, Kelby Pontes of Boston, Rosa “Tina” Pontes of Holbrook, and the late Jose Amançinho Pontes, Leocadio Pontes, and Diogenes Pontes.

She is survived by her siblings Antonio Gomes DePina and João Barbosa Amado. She was predeceased by her parents Martina Gomes Depina and Jose Rodrigues Amançinho, and siblings Ildefonso Gomes Depina, Dulce Gomes Depina Barros, Maria deFatima Barros, Maria “Alina” Santa Gomes, Fidelio Depina Cardoso, and Augusto Lopes.

Flavia is also survived by 30 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren, 3 great-great-grandchildren, and dozens of nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, all of whom she loved very much. She is predeceased by her grandson, Anibal Pontes.

 
Flavia, known as “Mama” or “Vovo”, was born in Fogo Cabo Verde in 1927. She purchased a home, known as “Cha Djanela” because of its many windows, in Curral Grande from her uncle, the famous Cape Verdean poet Pedro Cardoso. It was in this small and humble home that she birthed and raised 11 of her 13 children.

Flavia moved to the United States in 1968 with 11 children in tow, a year after her husband immigrated to build the foundations for a better life for their family. In Roxbury, Vovo was a homemaker, raising their many children and tending to her beautiful garden, truly making their house a home. When it came to cooking, Vovo’s hands were magic – everything she prepared led to big smiles and full bellies. The younger generation considered her a second grandmother and called her “Vovo Mama”; she truly made everyone feel as loved as one of her own children.

Our Mama will be remembered as a strong, loving, and faithful woman who prioritized her family above all else. She loved traveling, listening to music, knitting, and cultivating her ever-growing garden. We will lovingly remember her in every beautiful flower we see and in every delicious meal we share.

We love you, Mama! Rest in peace until we are together again!

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