Barbara J. (Lopes) Offley, 82, of New Bedford died Wednesday November 6, 2013 at St. Luke's Hospital after a brief illness. She was the wife of Kenneth C. Offley.
Born in New Bedford, the daughter of the late Antonio and Barbara (Fortes) Lopes, she lived in New Bedford all of her life.
She was a parishioner of Our Lady of the Assumption Church.
Mrs. Offley was formerly employed by Morse Cutting Tools.
She was a member of the Cape Verdean Women's Social Club, the Our Lady of the Assumption Senior Citizens, and the St. Vincent dePaul Society. She had been honored by the Cape Verdean Women's Social Club as its Mother of the Year.
She had been a volunteer for Catholic Social Services and Meals on Wheels.
Barbara was a very giving person with a warm caring loving spirit. Her door was always open to family and friends. In her home she always had food on the table for everyone; no one ever left her home hungry.
She is survived by her husband; her son, Kenneth C. Offley, Jr. and his wife Cindy; four granddaughters, Shakira Offley, whom she raised, Kiara Offley, Kelynn Offley, and Kenzie Offley; four great-grandchildren, Navahni, Jaliyah, Treyana, and Malachi Perry; a sister, Anna "Minnie" Senna; and many nieces and nephews.
She was the mother of the late Leslie E. Offley, and sister of the late Beatrice Lessa who was her twin, Antonia Barboza, Elizabeth Allen, Josepha Silva, Mamie Livramento, Gertrude Britto, John Lopes, Manuel Lopes, and Joseph Lopes.
Her Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday at 9 AM at Our Lady of the Assumption Church. Burial will follow in Rural Cemetery. Visiting hours will be on Monday from 4-8 PM at the Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park St., New Bedford. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.