Maria Celeste Jose, a longtime resident of Woburn passed away peacefully, Saturday, June 20, 2026, at the Winchester Hospital. She was 89. Celeste, as she was known to her family and friends, was the beloved wife of the late Manuel Jose. Born in Madeira, Portugal, she was one of nine children of the late Carlos and Celeste (DeFreitas) Pinto.
Celeste emigrated from Portugal in the early 1960's first settling in Medford for a few years before making Woburn her home. She worked for many years as a factory worker with Bellofram of Burlington prior to her retirement. Celste loved gardening, especially flowers and could always be found watering and tending to her flowers during the spring and summer months. However, her greatest joy was her family. Celeste was the true Matriarch of her family helping many of her family members emigrate to the United States, providing them with a place to stay and being a care taker to many of her family members children while the parents were working. Celeste was always present to help family and friends. For many years Celeste and her husband were very active with the Portuguese American Recreation Club of Woburn, volunteering and helping with many of the Club's special events. She will be greatly missed.
Celeste was the cherished sister of Manuela Santos of Tewksbury and her late husband Gabriel, Rosalia Fernandes and her husband Leonardo, Cecilia Coucelos and her husband Bill, John Pinto and his wife Grace, all of Woburn, the late Jose Pinto, Alzira Gatta, Mario Pinto and Fatima Silva. She is further survived by many loving nieces and nephews.
Family and friends are respectfully invited to attend visiting hours at the McLaughlin - Dello Russo Family Funeral Home, 60 Pleasant St., WOBURN, Thursday, June 25th, from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. followed by a funeral Mass celebrated in St. Charles Borromeo Church, 280 Main St., Woburn, at 10 a.m. Services will conclude with entombment at Woodbrook Cemetery, Woburn. It has been requested that in lieu of flowers contributions in Celeste’s memory may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 320 Nevada St, Suite 201, Newton, MA 02460 or the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.