Vivian M. (Sears) Souza, a 100 year old lifelong resident of Dartmouth, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Wednesday, October 12, 2016. She was the wife of the late Everett Souza.
Born and raised in Dartmouth, she was daughter of the late Joseph and Mary (Sylvia) Sears. Vivian enjoyed working the family farm and tending to her vegetables and flowers. Vivian graduated Dartmouth High School. She then attended Kinyon-Campbell Business School before she married her darling Everett. They spent close to 60 years married and had two children, Richard and Anne. Vivian loved spending time caring for her family and being a friendly mom to all neighborhood children after school, with homemade cupcakes to share and a backyard to play ball in. She loved her vacations to the mountains in New Hampshire camping with her family, and was a Yankee candle collector. Vivian was a Red Sox fan, a lucky bingo player, and a lover of animals. In her final years, she enjoyed residing at the Brookdale Senior Living facility in Dartmouth. She spent her days exercising, enjoying wine and chocolate tasting parties, singing, crafting jewelry, and caring for the resident cat, Elizabeth.
She is survived by her son, Richard E. Souza of California. She was the mother of the late Anne M. Souza and the sister of the late Lionel Sears, Richard Sears, and Earle Sears.
Vivian was laid to rest between her beloved husband and daughter after a private graveside service on Friday afternoon at Rural Cemetery in New Bedford. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Humane Society & Shelter Southcoast, 31 Ventura Drive, Dartmouth, MA 02747. Arrangements were by the Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park St., New Bedford. For online condolence book, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.