Theresa (Rioux) Baptista

Theresa "Terri" (Rioux) Baptista, 85, a lifelong resident of Fall River, was called home to her loving God and creator at Sacred Heart Home in New Bedford on Monday, March 26, 2018 after a long illness. She was the wife of 36 years of the late Joseph M. Baptista.

A homemaker, she later worked for Grey Textile division of Duro Industries and was a former Fowler School Lunch Lady. She attended the Westport Council on Aging Day Care.

She was the mother of William B. Baptista (wife Deborah) of Rehoboth, Rose Arruda (husband Alan) of Fall River and the late Patricia "Pat" Baptista (companion Mark Geer of Dartmouth); the grandmother of Christopher A. Arruda (wife Sheri) of Dartmouth, Thomas M. Arruda (wife Jamie Lawton Arruda) of Newport, RI, and Lindsey T. Baptista of Rehoboth; the step-grandmother of Joey Martinez; the great-grandmother of Brooke Arruda and Zephyr Arruda; the sister of Lillian Rioux of Fall River and Joseph Rioux and also leaves many nieces and nephews. She was the daughter of the late Joseph P. and Aurora (Poisson) Rioux and the sister of the late Leona Theriault, Anita Miller, Mary Jane Ventura, Helen Machado and Raymond, Adolphe, Rene and Ludger Rioux.

She will be sadly missed by her family and friends. The family wishes to thank the staff of Sacred Heart Home for their professional and compassionate care. Her private funeral services were entrusted to Auclair Funeral Home.