Zilda Guerra

It gives me great sadness to announce that my mom, Zilda F. Guerra, age 97, passed onto the afterlife on November 10, 2020. Zilda was born March 28, 1923 in Bethlehem, PA. She was the last surviving child out of 10, born to the late Manuel and Hilda Gonsalves. She started to work in the garment district at the age of 16 years old. She was to be the first zipper-setter of dresses for the then A.G. Baba Sports Wear. She also worked for the Chic-A-Dee dress factory. Zilda sewed and did embroidery, needlepoint, and stitchery starting at the age of 9 until the age of 87. She was an avid New York Yankees fan for over 60 years, and enjoyed rooting for them each spring.

Zilda was a member of Holy Infancy Parish in Bethlehem, PA.

She is survived by her daughter, Bernadette and her husband, Rocco Misero; and many nieces and nephews of the Gonsalves/Guerra family.

Zilda was preceded in death by her husband, Bernard “Babe” Guerra; parents; two brothers, and a sister who passed away as children; brothers, Manuel (Helen) and Louis (Caroline) Gonsalves; sisters, Rose (Al) Teles, Theresa (Tony) Oliveira, Isabel (Frank) Martinez, and Alzira Marrero. She was forever grateful to those family members who were very close to her from when they were children, up until the twilight of her life. There is no more pain and suffering, only peace and having the chance to be once again with my dad.

Special thanks are given to Annette Jennings, Charge Nurse and the staff of NW-2 at Gracedale Nursing Home. They went above and beyond their duties to make Zilda as comfortable as possible in her last days on earth. That special thanks is also extended to Kristen Holler, Social Worker assigned to Zilda. She worked with Zilda every step of the way. Dr. Paige Van Wirt, PCP and her staff who had Zilda as her patient also went the extra mile. For all their efforts the family is grateful to all of them.

Services will be private and there will be no calling hour. When our world becomes a much calmer place, a Memorial Mass will be said in Zildas honor at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations may be made in Zildas memory to Pastor Andrew Gehringer, Holy Infancy Church, 312 E. Fourth St., Bethlehem, PA 18015.

Funeral HomeConnell Funeral Home, Inc.
245 East Broad St.
Bethlehem PA - 18018
US
610-868-8531