Dorothy Silva

Dorothy A. (Walsh) Silva died of Alzheimer’s Disease on Thursday July 6th at the age of 74.  She was preceded in death by her cherished parents Albert Walsh and Dorothea (Martin) Walsh, as well as her dear sister, Maureen Walsh O’Sullivan. She was the treasured wife of Donald Silva, married 52 years this month.  She is survived by her devoted children Rachel Silva and Jennifer (Silva) Brees (Josh), her beloved grandchildren Fatima and Bernadette, and her dear sisters Anne Walsh and Eileen (Walsh) Butterfield.  A St. Xavier Academy graduate, Dorothy also studied theatre at RIC; her love of theatre lasted throughout her life and was instilled in her children as well. She also loved a wide range of music and she never met a show tune she didn’t like. Dorothy was an avid reader & a nature enthusiast who particularly loved the ocean – she was a book-loving mermaid. Dorothy was full of love and kindness. She always saw the best in everyone and was also keenly attentive to those in pain. Her capacity to love and understand people ‘going through it’ was unmatched.  She had the warmest laugh, the kindest eyes and the biggest heart. Of her various roles in life, most important to her was building a strong, loving marriage, raising her daughters and being Nana to her granddaughters. Dorothy and Donald modeled what a marriage of equals should look like; setting a high bar for the responsibilities of a partnership, as well as what to expect and accept in a relationship. In her final days, as in life, she was lovingly surrounded by her husband, their children and grandchildren. They are truly grateful for her love, guidance, acceptance and strength; they miss it now, in this trying time. Her family finds comfort in memories of her, and in her legacy of loving and supporting each other through all things.

Family and friends are kindly invited to a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 am on Monday July 17, 2023 in Saint Matthew Church 1299 Elmwood Avenue Cranston.  Visiting hours will be Sunday July 16, 2023 from 2:00-5:00 pm in The Butterfield Chapel 500 Pontiac Avenue Cranston. Burial of cremated remains will take place at a later date. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.