Laurel Diane Theise Gouveia died peacefully at home in Croton-On-Hudson on June 13.She was 72.
She leaves a sister, Pamela Rosa, of Long Beach, N.Y.; nieces Jennifer Radics and Kalindi Simic; nephew, Jason Rosa; and, stepdaughters Georgette and Regina Gouveia and Johanna Villemarette.
Born in N.Y. City to James and Laura Theise, she received her Bachelors and Masters degree in education from Hunter College and taught learning disabled children in the South Bronx for 20 years.
She married John Gouveia, then-owner of the County Limousine Service, based in White Plains.
The couple settled in Croton, spent retirement winters in Boca Raton and enjoyed their summer friendships at Tamarack Country Club in Westchester. But before Mr. Gouveia pre-deceased his wife in 2007, the couple had thought long and hard about how they might finally distribute life’s assets.
Among their many generosities, they chose to offer their home, on 15+ acres of land overlooking the Hudson River, to the Village of Croton as a public park so that others may have an opportunity to enjoy its beauty and serenity. As a result, some have recently asked how they might honor the memory of such a thoughtful and generous couple. It has been suggested that a contribution to the “Gouveia Park Maintenance Fund” might be considered. It could be mailed directly to: The Village of Croton-On-Hudson, 1 Van Wyck St., Croton-On-Hudson, N.Y., 10520.
The world has lost a joyful soul. May she rest in peace.
Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Dorsey Funeral Home, Inc. in Ossining
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