Maryann E. DeMello, 59
Maryann E. DeMello, 59, of New Bedford, passed away peacefully on March 4, 2026, at Brigham and Women's Hospital after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.
Born and raised in New Bedford, she was the daughter of Norbert DeMello and his wife Cheryl DeMello of Mattapoisett and the late Madeline E. (Perreira) DeMello. Maryann raised her family in Marion before returning to New Bedford.
Maryann was a beautiful soul filled with curiosity, creativity, and joy. A devoted lover of books, she owned and operated Castle Books in Wareham, MA for several years before deciding to share her passion for language and literature by becoming an English teacher. Over the last 14 years, she inspired countless students and formed lasting friendships with colleagues who admired her warmth, humor, and dedication. Her classroom was a place where stories lived, imagination thrived, and every student felt seen.
At the time of her passing, she was employed as an 8th grade English teacher at Whaling City Junior/Senior High School in New Bedford. Prior to that, she spent 13 years teaching 8th grade English at Roosevelt Junior High School in New Bedford, where she made a lasting impact on the lives of her students and colleagues.
Maryann cherished flowers and spent many happy hours working in a flower shop before becoming a teacher. Her sense of adventure led her to explore places she loved, most recently Portugal, where she enjoyed a once-in-a-lifetime trip with her family and created memories that will never be forgotten. Aruba and Nantucket were also among her favorite places.
Maryann had a playful and imaginative spirit. She especially loved Halloween and trips to King Richard's Faire, where she delighted in the magic, laughter, and fantasy of the experience. A devoted fan of storytelling and adventure, she enjoyed the worlds of Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Star Wars, and Anime. Her treasured Snow White collection reflected her deep love of fairy tales and their enchantment. To family and friends, she will forever be remembered as Snow White.
Her memory lives on in the students she taught, the friends she cherished, and the family who loved her deeply.
She is survived by her father, Norbert DeMello; her stepmother, Cheryl DeMello; her stepchildren, Carolyn Horseman and her husband Tim Harding of Rochester, and Derek Horseman and his wife Kristy of Fairhaven; her brother, Randy DeMello and his girlfriend Kolina Kirkham of Mattapoisett; her sister-in-law, Jennifer DeMello of Fairhaven; two stepsisters, Kristin Gorman of Lakeville and Karley Roberts of Bristol, RI; and a stepbrother, Blake Roberts of Irving, TX.
She also leaves behind her niece and nephew, Alexa DeMello and Andrew DeMello and his fiancée Lexie Viveiros, as well as three cherished grandchildren, Nathan Oliveira, Hailey Harding, and William Harding.
She was the stepmother of the late Brian Oliveira.
Her visiting hours will be held on Tuesday, March 10th, from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Road, Mattapoisett.
Her Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday, March 11th at 9:00 AM at St. Mary's Church, 440 Main Street, Fairhaven. Please meet directly at church. Burial will follow at Pine Grove Cemetery.
Flowers are welcome, or donations in her memory may be made to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. 450 Brookline Ave., Boston, MA 02215. For directions and guestbook, visit www.saundersdwyer.com.
