Obituary: Beatrice "Betty" C. (Cruz) Sousa, 87

Beatrice "Betty" C. (Cruz) Sousa, 87, of Wildflower Drive, Cranston, formerly of Bristol, Portsmouth and Middletown, died Saturday, June 15, 2013 at Rhode Island Hospital, Providence. 

She was the wife of the late Ernest R. Sousa. Born in Bristol, she was a daughter of the late Joseph and Gertrude (Barboza) Cruz. Betty worked at the Rhode Island Veterans Home, Bristol for 28 years before retiring as a Senior Attendant. Betty proudly served in the USO during WWII, she was a member of the Town Howlers Square Dancers, Portsmouth Senior Citizens helping out with there thrift shop, she was an avid crafter and loved reading and gardening.

She is survived by her children, Jessica "Jackie" Perry of Cranston, Mary Lou Perry-White of Greensboro, NC, Betty Copeland of Millbury, MA and Anthony Perry of Silver Springs, MD, eight grandchildren, nineteen great grandchildren and one great great grandchild, two sisters, Marie (Cruz) Amaral and Ann (Cruz) Pacheco both of Bristol.

In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by a sister Margaret Cruz Sousa and a brother Joseph Cruz, Jr.

Funeral services were from the Sansone Funeral Home, 192 Wood Street, Bristol Wednesday, at 10:00 AM with a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 AM in St. Elizabeth's Church 577 Wood Street, Bristol. Burial will follow in North Burial Ground, Hope Street, Bristol.