HYANNIS — Mrs. Mary Esther (Daley) Rodrigues of Mashpee, passed away on Easter Monday, April 5 at Cape Cod Hospital. She was the wife of the late Leo L. Rodrigues. Mary was born in Fall River on Holy Saturday, April 20, 1935 to the late Mr. and Mrs. Mary Ellen (Foley) and William J. Daley Jr.
She was baptized and raised in her faith at Saints Peter and Paul Church in Fall River. She graduated from Mount St. Mary’s Academy in Fall River in the class of 1953 and later went on to earn a bachelor’s degree with a major in Education from Salve Regina College in Newport, R.I. in 1958. She began her teaching career in Newport, R.I., but spent 35 of her 40 years as an elementary school teacher, in the Fall River Public School Department, retiring in 1998.
Mary’s caring and nurturing nature as well as her kind smile, enabled her to be a truly great and much loved school teacher. She was a member of the Catholic Women’s Club of Fall River and served as a Catechism teacher and special minister of Holy Communion at St. Thomas More Church in Somerset, and Christ the King Parish in Mashpee.
Over the years, Mary enjoyed travel with family and friends to destinations such as Florida, California, Canada, Ireland, France and Italy. Many memorable summers were spent boating on Mt. Hope Bay and vacationing on Cape Cod and the Islands. She always loved celebrating her Irish heritage, especially traditional Irish music. She was an avid and life-long Boston Red Sox fan. In more recent years, Mary loved being a doting grandmother to her beloved girls.
Mary and her husband Leo raised their family and lived the happiest years of their lives at their home on Fatima Drive in Somerset.
She is survived by her son, Father William M. Rodrigues, pastor of St. Joan of Arc Church in Orleans, and daughter, Ellen Marie (Rodrigues) Zontini and her husband Michael G. Zontini of Yarmouthport, and granddaughters, Sophia and Sarah Zontini. She also leaves behind a sister, Sheila I. Vanasse of Fall River, several nieces, nephews and cousins.
Since Mary was a great supporter of Catholic education, her family has requested that, in lieu of flowers, donations in Mary’s memory be made to the Scholarship Fund of St. Pius X Parish School 321 Wood Road, South Yarmouth, MA 02664 (508) 398-6112. https://www.spxschool.org/give/.
Her Funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Joan of Arc Church, Orleans on April 10.
