Obituary of Mary I. Archiere

Mary I. Archiere July 22, 1921 - February 24, 2010 Mary Isabel (Virtudes) Archiere, wife of the late Joseph A. Archiere died at the Solana/Pope John Paul II Center on Wednesday, February 24. She was born Maria I. Virtudes on July 22, 1921 in New Bedford, Massachusetts. She was the daughter of the late Francisco and Maria Isabel (Amaro) Virtudes. Besides her parents and husband, she was predeceased by her daughter, Jacqueline Archiere her brother Joaquim (Jack) Virtudes. Mrs. Archiere is survived by her daughters: Candace Kelii and her husband Alan of Hilo, HI; Joann Corso and her husband Christopher of Danbury; and Eleanor McLean and her husband Michael of Woodstock CT. She also leaves four grandsons: Christopher Corso, Jr. and his fiancé Jacqueline Duke of Danbury; Michael Kelii and his fiancé Amber Howell of San Diego, CA; Brian Kelii of Hilo, HI; and Michael McLean of Woodstock, CT. She also leaves one great-grandson, Ayden Chandler Corso of Danbury, along with several nieces, nephews and dear friends. Mary was raised in New Bedford and Danbury, and attended Balmforth Avenue School while living here. As a young woman, she turned down a management position at Woolworth's in New Bedford to marry her beloved "Joey" in July of 1945. She worked at Wilson's Jewelry Store, and for her husband's business, Dover Drag Strip, until she retired and devoted herself to caring for her parents, in-laws, and eventually husband and daughter. Mrs. Archiere was an active parishioner of St Gregory the Great Church. She was instrumental in the fundraising for the new church building and was involved in Bingo. Mary loved to learn new things. She learned to play the piano in her 60s. She did beautiful crochet and embroidery work. Family and friends treasure the Christmas stockings she made for them. She never forgot a birthday or anniversary and always made sure that cards went out in plenty of time. She loved to travel and spent many winters at her daughter's home in Hilo, where she had many good friends. She was always the first person in the car for an outing to concerts or the theater. Mary was a force of nature. She was fiercely protective of her children, and she folded their friends into her extended family. She was kind, and thoughtful, and unfailingly loyal, and smart. She could get crazy over crazy things, like exploding televisions and toy shelves that threatened to jump off walls, but no-one ever had a kinder or better friend. Funeral Information Funeral Services will be held at the Cornell Memorial Home, 247 White Street, Danbury on Monday, March 1st at 12:00 p.m. with Deacon William Murphy of St. Gregory the Great Church officiating. Burial will follow in St. Peter Cemetery. There will be no calling hours. Our family would like to thank the nurses and staff at Pope John Paul and Almost Family for their kindness, compassion and care. Donations Information Donations in her memory can be made to the Pope John Paul II Center Hospice Care