Manuel C. “Manny” DeSousa of Medford passed away Friday, November 17th at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. He was 79. Born in Santa Maria in the Azores (Portugal), was the son of the late Victorino and the late Maria (Coelho) DeSousa.
Manny was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, brother and friend. As a young man he served in the Portuguese Air Force in Africa. Friendship and community were always very important to Manny, both in his professional life and in his social life. He had many friends in the Cambridge/Medford area.
After settling in Massachusetts over half a century ago, Manny established himself in business, working as a supervisor at the RESCO power plant in Saugus and then becoming the proprietor of the Ribeiro DeSousa Real Estate and Insurance Agency, near Inman Square in Cambridge. Across the street from the agency is the Clube Desportivo Faialense (the Faialense Sports Club), of which Manny was an active member for over 35 years. There he would root for his favorite soccer team, Benfica, but he was a fan of all sports, especially the Patriots and the Red Sox.
The beloved husband of Maria Celeste (Borges) DeSousa, Manny was the devoted father of Jenny Millard and her husband Jimmy of Gretna, VA, Stephen Sousa and his companion Carmen of Medford, and the late Kevin Sousa. He was a loving grandfather to 25 grandchildren, including adopted and stepgrandchildren, and the caring great grandfather of 11 great grandchildren. He was the dear brother of Beatrice of Canada, Ines of Portugal and the late Antonio.
Manny’s funeral will be from the Dello Russo Funeral Home, 306 Main St., Medford, on Wednesday, November 22 at 10 AM, followed by a funeral Mass celebrated in Saint Raphael Church, 512 High St., West Medford at 11 AM. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. Services will conclude with burial in Oak Grove Cemetery, Medford. Visiting hours will be Tuesday from 4-8 PM at the funeral home.