Catherine G. (Monteiro) Barbosa

Catherine, “Cathy”, “Catrina” Gomes Monteiro Barbosa, 77, of Scituate, formerly of East Bridgewater, Brockton, and Pembroke, passed away on August 26, 2021 at the South Shore Hospital following a brief illness. She was the beloved wife of 49 years to the late John Pedro Barbosa.

Born and raised in Fogo, Cabo Verde, she was the daughter of Guilherme Pires Monteiro and Benvinda Rodrigues Miranda Monteiro. Catherine and 6 of her siblings immigrated to the United States in 1959 to rejoin her parents.

Catherine was the devoted mother of Jennifer J. Zarrella and her husband Eric of Easton and the late Ann Margaret Barbosa and the late Joshua J. Barbosa and she was the cherished grandmother of 3 grandchildren: Vianna, Mateo, and Giancarlo Zarrella.

Loving sister of Juvenal (Tony) Monteiro of Scituate, Maria Monteiro Jenkins of Scituate, Manuel Monteiro and wife Susan Ingram Monteiro of Norwell, John Monteiro and wife Karen Monteiro of Plymouth, Elario (Eddie) Monteiro and wife Laura Campbell Monteiro of Los Angeles, California, Peter Monteiro of Marshfield, and preceded in death by the late Fernando Monteiro of Scituate, the late Augusto Monteiro of Southington, CT and the late Anna Monteiro of Scituate.

Catherine loved being with family and friends, sharing generously her time, her home and providing emotional support and comfort to anyone she met. She spent many years caring for her two deceased children who were born with severe disabilities. She also cared for her husband John who in later years needed regular dialysis treatments until his death. She would always express deep love for all her children and husband and never complained even when the load was heavy.

Catherine enjoyed traveling with her family and friends, especially to Florida where she and her late husband lived for a brief period in Clearwater, Florida in the nineties. Her retirement plans were cut short when she felt the call to return to Massachusetts to be near her elderly parents and other family members. In lieu of living in Florida, she would often sponsor vacation trips with her family and friends to Disney World, Universal Studios, and many other interesting venues. She reveled in seeing the joy in her grandchildren and family members when they visited the parks. She often made it financially possible for others to visit Disney and Universal.

Catherine was also a frequent visitor to Foxwoods where she would make frequent day trips with her late husband John, Jennifer, Eric and Tony. She enjoyed the architectural environs of casinos, playing slot machines, and people-watching.

Catherine was an avid gardener who enjoyed cultivating flowering plants and with her “green thumb,” could nourish deserted plants back to life. She spent many hours tending to her gardens wherever she lived. Catherine always looked after the needs of her family and friends, providing advice, moral support or financial support. She always put the needs of others ahead of her own.

She will be missed by all.

Visitation will take place on Thursday, September 2nd from 5-8 PM at Richardson-Gaffey Funeral Home, 382 First Parish Road, Scituate. Funeral Mass on Saturday, September 4 at 11:00 AM at St. Mary of the Nativity Church, 1 Kent Street, Scituate; Interment to follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Scituate.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the family respectfully requests all visitors to wear masks and maintain social distance at the funeral home, the church and the cemetery.

Flowers are welcomed. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is a 501(c)(3) organization, and all monetary donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by tax laws.

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