Irene E. Fernandes, 89, Retired Textile Worker

Irene E. (Vermette) Fernandes, of 165 Water Street, Warren, and formerly of Bristol, died Thursday, October 10, 2013 at RI Hospital, Providence. She was 89.

She was the wife of the late John Fernandes, her husband of 55 years, who died in 2004. Born in Warren and a lifelong resident of Warren and Bristol, she was the daughter of the late Alexander J. and Rosanna (Proulx) Vermette. 

Fernandes worked for 20 years at the former RJ Manufacturing Company, formerly of Warren, retiring in1986. She had previously worked at the former Coats and Clark Manufacturing Co.

She was a communicant of St. Mary's Church, Bristol and she was a avid reader.

She is survived by two children, Rosemary Fernandes-Guida and her husband Anthony Guida of Warren and John Paul Fernandes and his wife, Pamela of Bristol, two grandchildren, Sasha J. Fernandes and her husband David Elliott, and Adam T. Fernandes, all of Riverside and two great granddaughters, Ophelia R. Fernandes and Evangeline S. Elliott. In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by a sister, Rita Rutkiewicz.

Funeral services from the Sansone Funeral Home, 192 Wood Street, Bristol, will be held on Wednesday, October 16, 2013 at 8:30 am with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 am in St. Mary's Church, 330 Wood Street, Bristol. Burial will follow in North Burial Ground, Hope Street, Bristol.

Visitation will be Wednesday morning only at 8:30 am. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, 383 Main Avenue, 5th floor, Norwalk, CT 06851 or online at www.themmrf.org.