PORTLAND – Vincenza “Virginia” Theresa (Fernandez) Foisy passed away peacefully at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough on Thursday, March 25, 2021 of natural causes.

She was born in Portland on Dec. 18, 1924, to Agnesia and Salvatore Fernandez. She was first generation Italian-American and was proud of her parents and family from Sicily, Italy.

She attended local schools and was a graduate from Portland High School in 1942. She enjoyed history and English classes at PHS. After high school, she was employed at Cook, Everett and Pennell taking orders and light office work, which was located on Middle Street in Portland.

A good portion of her life, she dedicated herself as a housewife and greatly cared for her family. As years progressed, she went back to work at different Portland School Department’s cafeterias, which she really enjoyed.

Vincenza took pleasure and pride with cooking and baking, as well as preparing dinners for her family, when she was younger.

She really loved spending time socializing with her friends, going to dinners and dances with her husband Leo at the Italian Heritage Center and the Elks Club. Other activities were spending time at friends’ camps in the summer, playing cards, bowling, and prayer groups. She was also a participant at the Women’s Sodality Group at St. Peter’s Catholic Church and enjoyed spending time with friends at the annual St. Peter’s Bazaar in Portland. She also went to play Bingo with her husband Leo at St. Pius Catholic Church.

Vincenza was predeceased by her husband Leo and her siblings.

She is survived by her two children, son Richard Leo Foisy, his wife Kathryn of Westbrook, and daughter, Bernadette Marie Foisy of Portland. Surviving grandchildren are Maria Foisy Cullins and husband Ray of New Gloucester, Ryan Foisy and Sherrie of Gorham, Jeremy Feldbauer of New York, Alexander Feldbauer of Portland, Angela Foisy Herrick and husband Patrick Herrick of Poland; great-grandchildren include, Liam Cullins, Grace Cullins Forant and husband Dylan, Jack Foisy, Ethan Feldbauer, Leah Feldbauer, and Cameron Herrick; great-great-grandchildren include Roman and Joel Forant; as well as numerous nephews; great-nephews; and niece; great-niece; and cousins.

A family Mass of Christian Burial was held at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Portland, where she was a life-long communicant, on April 5.

Interment will be held at Calvary Cemetery, South Portland at a later date.

Please visit http://www.jonesrichandbarnes.com to view her tribute page and to sign her online guestbook.