Viola Lopes Loved Singing in Church Choirs

Viola J. (Authier) Lopes, 88, of Vineyard Haven died March 20 at St. Joseph's Manor Nursing Home in Brockton after a period of failing health. She was the wife of the late Constantine V. Lopes.

Born in Rochester on March 12, 1917, a daughter of the late Joseph and Oliva (Picha) Authier, she was raised in Rochester, Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard, where she graduated from Tisbury High School.

She married her husband March 29, 1937, and following their marriage they built a home and lived on the Vineyard until 1960 when they moved to Brighton. They retired in 1975 and moved back to the Vineyard.

A homemaker, she enjoyed reading, writing, church activities and visiting shut-ins and those living in rest homes, but most of all she enjoyed baking bread to sell in local stores. During the summer in the 1980s and 1990s, she could be found early each morning picking blueberries in her cultivated blueberry patch. She carefully chose the best and would arrange them neatly in baskets to deliver and sell at Norton's farm stand.

She was a member of the Legion of Mary in Brighton, the Ladies Guild in Vineyard Haven and a member of the choir in both parishes.

She is survived by seven children, Rev. Thomas C. Lopes of Easton, Jacqueline C. LaBatt and her husband, Ronald, of Randolph, Richard J. Lopes and his wife, Carolyn, of Newton, Peter F. Lopes and his wife, Carol, of Norfolk, Margaret M. O'Donnell of Chelmsford and Constantine P. Lopes and his wife, Clairette, of Framingham; a sister, Gloria Norton, and her husband Warren of Edgartown; 27 grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. She was also the sister of the late Joseph, Raymond and Roland Authier, Dora Beauchemin and Yvonne Hickey.

A funeral mass was held in the Immaculate Conception Church in Easton. Interment was on March 23 in the Sacred Heart cemetery in Oak Bluffs. Donations in Viola's memory may be sent to St. Joseph's Manor Nursing Home, 215 Thatcher Street, Brockton, MA 02302.