Margaret Piedade

Margaret Piedade, 89, of New Bedford, passed away peacefully Sunday, June 21, 2026, after a long period of dementia.

Born on March 30, 1937 to the late Antonio and Virginia Piedade, she lived and worked her whole life in the City of New Bedford and took pride in being part of a large Portuguese-American family. Margaret joined the job force at a young age and worked in several factories, including Laura Mae Blouses and Isotronics, Inc. She continued her education and graduated at age 63 from Bristol Community College with an Associates Degree. She went on to serve as an Overnight Care Manager at Fellowship Behavior Resources until her retirement.

Margaret lived a life of kindness, generosity and compassion. Known for her beyond-infectious laugh, she was full of happiness and spread joy to everyone around her. Her love of all animals, especially dogs and puppies, demonstrated her warm heart. She loved and cared for countless dogs throughout her life, always smothering her “babies” in kisses. She was a born musician and could play any instrument with a string, including mandolin, guitar, and violin, often those made locally in her brother Tony’s Piedade Barbershop, where she often played and sang in “jam sessions” with her brother, sister Virginia and friends. She famously went Christmas caroling door-to-door to family on Christmas Eve every year, instruments in tow. Margaret started a 50+ year family tradition of watching the annual Feast of the Blessed Sacrament parade from the sidewalk of the barbershop, with food and music for family, friends and passersby. She was independent and hardworking her entire life. Though she held many titles; daughter, dog-mom, sister, employee, caregiver, musician and more, Margaret’s true purpose lay in her most cherished title of AUNTY.

She is survived by her niece and caregiver Nancy Antil and her husband Jeff, nephews Robert and Glen Nunes, nieces Lila Bryant, Deborah Martin, Catherine Gross, Colleen Piedade and Margaret Hughes, many great nieces and nephews, great-great nephews and nieces, Diane Botelho and Paula Negalha, who were like nieces, cousins and dear friends. She was pre-deceased by her parents and siblings Lila Piedade, Virginia Nunes and her husband Ned, Antonio Piedade and his wife Barbara, and Elizabeth Sullivan and her husband Norman, nephews John Nunes, Micheal Sullivan and John Sullivan, and her forever friend Violet (Vi) Silva.

A visitation will be held on Monday, June 29th at the Boulevard Funeral Home from 5:00pm-8:00pm. Margaret's Funeral Mass will be Tuesday June 30th at 10:00am at Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church, all are welcome to join us at the Boulevard Funeral Home prior to Mass at 9:00am. Cremation will follow.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her name via the links below to any of the following organizations, as they have touched Margaret’s life.

Ellie Fund (Breast Cancer Survivor Support)

Humane Society & Shelter - Southcoast

Dementia Society of America