Mary Rosa passed away on Oct. 2, 2023 at home peacefully and was called home to her father, sister, and brothers in heaven.

Mary was born May 21, 1967, to Jose (Joe) Furtado Rosa and Maria Albertina Rosa on the Island of Faial, Aźores - Portugal. At the age of 3, she migrated to the United States with her parents and her two brothers. All that they had with them was four suitcases. After staying with family for a short amount of time, they relocated to Ferndale, where they lived with a local family and Mary’s father worked on a dairy farm milking cows. Her mother also helped on the farm but later began working with many local families cleaning their homes, as well as cleaning the Ferndale Police Station, City Hall, and Ferndale Library for 30-plus years. They dedicated themselves to the Portuguese Community in Ferndale and volunteered at the Ferndale Portuguese Holy Ghost Festa for many years. Mary was Little Queen in 1972 and Big Queen in 1984.

Mary attended Ferndale Elementary School and Ferndale High School where she made so many lifelong friends. She graduated from Ferndale High School in 1986, and even after she graduated from school and well into her adult life, she always reached out to her schoolmates to say hello and to keep in contact. At the age of 25, she gave birth to her first child, Ashley, and three years later gave birth to her son Andrew. Mary was a single mother to both Ashley and Andrew and raised them in Ferndale with the help of her parents Joe and Maria. Mary moved to Fortuna in 2008 and moved back to Ferndale to live with her mother in 2020.

Mary loved being a grandmother more than anything, her grandbabies were the light of her life. She enjoyed the small things in life. She loved the beach and watching the king tide waves as they hit the jetty. She had an impressive penguin collection as they were her favorite animal. She loved to go on daily walks with her mother around town in Ferndale. Most of all she loved to talk to everyone, she was great at memorizing every one’s phone number. If we needed someone’s number all we had to do was ask her.

The Rosa family has experienced many losses over the years. Before moving to the United States, Mary lost a sister who was 9 months old due to health complications. In 1977, she lost her brother to a heart attack when he was 11 years old from a hereditary heart condition. In 1987, her second brother passed away at the age of 16 from the same heart condition during a Ferndale High School football game, and in 2009 she lost her father Joe at the age of 72. We know that her sister, brothers, and father were waiting for her with open arms and we are at peace knowing she is now with them.

Throughout her life, Mary struggled with her health. In 2020 she moved back to Ferndale to live with her mother Maria. During that time, she suffered from diabetic cirrhosis of the liver. In September 2023, it progressed to liver failure, and she also suffered from other health complications. After three weeks at the hospital, she came home on Hospice and in the care of her daughter Ashley. Four days after coming home, she passed away peacefully surrounded by her loved ones.

“My mom was resilient, she was always happy and greeted everyone with a smile. Even when her body started to fail her, she would never let it show on her face. Her kindness to others is what people will remember the most. Not only am I heartbroken to lose my mom at such a young age, but I am deeply saddened for my four children. They loved her so much, and she loved being their grandma. I know that she is with my Papa and her three siblings now watching over us. Until we meet again my beautiful Mama.” - Ashley

We’d like to give a thank you to Dr. Douglas at Ferndale Community Health Center, Ferndale Fire Department, and all of her friends who cared for her so much. Another special thank you to those who have helped donate to her funeral and memorial fund.

Mary is survived by her mother Maria Rosa, her two children Ashley Rosa-Shute and Andrew Rosa, and four grandchildren: Greydon, Delilah, Jackson, and Braylon Shute.

Mary was preceded in death by her father Jose Furtado Rosa, her baby sister Fatima Lucia Rosa, her brothers Jose Silva Rosa and Jose Maria Rosa, her uncle Jose Felisberto Vargas and her cousin Carlos Felisberto Vargas.

A memorial service and mass will be held at the Ferndale Church of Assumption - 546 Berding Street, Ferndale, CA 95536. November 18th, 2023, at 1 p.m. Any donations to help with putting Mary to rest can be made through GoFundMe — https://gofund.me/6f573867 — or mailed to Ashley Rosa, P.O Box 61, Ferndale, CA 95536.

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