Sheila Anne Carvalho of Mattapoisett, Massachusetts passed away peacefully on September 19, 2025 at the age of 66, surrounded by the love of family after a courageous battle with cancer.

 

Born in New Bedford on December 5, 1958, Sheila was the only child of the late William J. and Norma (Almeida) Carvalho. After graduation from New Bedford High School, Sheila pursued her Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Southeastern Massachusetts University (UMass Dartmouth). She then went to graduate school at North Carolina State University, where she received her Master’s degree in Botany.

 

Upon graduating, Sheila began working at Massachusetts General Hospital as a laboratory technician, during which time she met her future husband, Brian Smith. Sheila had a successful 35-year career in life sciences and healthcare, advancing to become Product Line Manager, Cell Culture Media at both Millipore Corporation and Corning Life Sciences.

 

In 1989, Sheila and Brian married in Fairhaven, MA. Shortly thereafter they moved to Tewksbury and later Westford, MA to raise a family, which became Sheila’s greatest source of pride and joy. One of their fondest family traditions was an annual trip to Sanibel Island, Florida, where Sheila could often be found in the “Sanibel stoop” while combing the beach for seashells. Sheila was a skilled cook and, in true Portuguese fashion, showed her love of friends and family through incredible homemade meals on holidays and special occasions.

 

Sheila inherited a great love of animals from her father, which she passed on to her children. Together they adopted many pets including birds, gerbils, and guinea pigs, in addition to her many beloved cats and dogs. She had a sharp sense of humor and was always ready with a clever joke, usually at Brian’s expense. Her love of pop culture gave her the edge in trivia games and the ability to guess the surprise reveals and plot twists of just about any show or movie. Her passion for games and puzzles made for many days and nights of family fun. She was a loyal fan of the New England Patriots and especially Tom Brady, whose wins she continued to celebrate after he departed for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

 

From seashells on the beach to antiques at a yard sale, Sheila loved the thrill of finding treasures hidden in plain sight. She had a strong sense of design and a love of curating vintage collectibles and ephemera, which she proudly displayed in her historic seaside home in the picturesque village of Mattapoisett. Upon retirement, she used her deep knowledge of vintage treasures to run a business buying and selling antiques.

 

Sheila was a beautiful, vibrant woman who will be dearly missed.

 

She is survived by her husband Brian, daughter Rachael Smith and husband Richard Ayoub, Jr. of Wilmington, MA, daughter Lauren Smith of Providence, RI, and many cousins including Claudia Mathews of Newburyport and her companion Mohamed Saadi.

Her visiting hours will be held on Friday, September 26th from 4:00-7:00 PM in the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd. (Rt. 6), Mattapoisett, MA. Her funeral service will be held on Saturday, September 27th at 11:00 AM in the funeral home. Burial will follow in Riverside Cemetery, Fairhaven, MA.

 

In lieu of flowers, you may wish to make a donation in Sheila’s name to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Humane Society & Shelter SouthCoast, or your favorite charity.   For directions and guestbook, visit www.saundersdwyer.com.