Hudson – Romana Barros DeOliveira was born to Maria de Siqueira and Severino Nogueira Barros in Afogados da Ingazeira, Brazil in 1932. Her early life was spent on the family farm helping to care for her many siblings, of which she was the eldest. She married her great love, Jose, in 1953, and they moved to São Paulo to start their family.
Becoming a mother to Zenaide, Wilson and William brought her immense joy, and she and Jose began to dream about a different life for their children in America. They immigrated to Hudson, MA in September of 1966, where Jose and Romana began their respective careers, his as a welder, and hers at Entwistle in assembly of wire and cable manufacturing.
As Romana never had the opportunity to attend high school in Brazil, she went to Hudson High School to get her diploma in her 50s, and her whole family was able to attend her graduation to see her in her cap and gown.
One of the pillars of Romana’s life was her faith. She was a devout Catholic her entire life, often traveling miles by foot in rural Brazil to attend mass as a young girl. She was a loyal member of St. Michael’s Parish in Hudson, MA for many years, as well as a member of the Catholic Daughters Society.
Romana was truly beloved by her family, friends and even strangers, as love radiated from her very being. Romana’s door was always open, for anyone who needed a place to stay, a delicious meal or a cup of coffee. She would welcome you with open arms, feed you till you were bursting and walk you out, waving to you long after you reached your car. She was a culinary master, and nothing could compare to her rice and beans or Thanksgiving turkey- the recipes for which thankfully were passed down to her children and grandchildren, with whom she shared her love of cooking, through hours of instruction by her side. Aside from this, she has passed on her legacy of kindness, faith, service to others, joy and sense of humor.
Romana is survived by her devoted children: Zenaide de Oliveira Percuoco and her husband Vincent, Wilson B. de Oliveira and his wife Jamila, and William B. de Oliveira and his wife Carol. She leaves her grandchildren and great grandchildren, who she treasured, as much as they treasured every moment with her. Vai com Deus querida spoza, querida Mãe, querida irmã, querida amiga. Ate breve, nosso Anjo da Guarda.
A memorial funeral mass will be held on Thursday, September 28, 2023 at 9:00 am at St. Michael’s Parish, 21 Manning St., Hudson, MA. Burial services will be private at the convenience of the family.
Tighe Hamilton Regional Funeral Home of Hudson is honored to be assisting the family with arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Hudson Senior Center, where Romana had so much fun with friends over the past few years or to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for Breast-Cancer, http://komen.org/.
