Obituary of Maria D. (Prata) Silva

Maria D. (Prata) Silva, 72, of Peabody, died unexpectedly early Monday morning at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston after being stricken with a cerebral hemorrhage Saturday evening. She was the devoted wife of Joseph L. Silva with whom she shared over 32 years of marriage. Born in Peabody, she was the daughter of the late Joseph and Hilda (Amaral) Prata. She was a lifelong resident of Peabody and a graduate of Peabody High School, class of 1956. After high school, she continued her education at Lynn Hospital Nursing School and received her degree in nursing in 1959. After graduation, she continued working at Lynn Hospital, then at JB Thomas Hospital in Peabody, Puritan Medical Center and finally before recently retiring, at North Shore Ear, Nose, and Throat Associates. Maria was a long time parishioner of St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Peabody. She was truly dedicated to the church and performed various tasks and functions for the church from serving on the parish council and Eucharistic Minister. Maria will be dearly missed by all those who knew and loved her including her husband Joseph Silva, she is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Joseph and Alice Silva of Shrewsbury, a sister and brother-in-law, Carolyn and John Brown of Peabody, her grandchildren, Julia and Joseph Silva, her cherished nieces and nephew, Kristen and her husband Joseph Lepore of Danvers, Stephanie and her husband David Doucette of Nahant, and Jonathan and Jennifer Brown of Salem and her grand nieces and nephews, Adam, Elizabeth, Ryan, Jonathan, Olivia, and Heather. Her funeral service will be held on Thursday at 9:00 AM from the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home, 82 Lynn St., Peabody, followed by her Funeral Mass at 10:00 AM at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Margin St, Peabody, to which relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend. Visiting hours will be held on Wednesday from 4:00 until 8:00 PM. Burial in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Salem. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her name to the St. Thomas Convent Renovation, 1 Margin St., Peabody, MA 01960