Emelia (Fagundes) DeSaint

EAST PROVIDENCE - Emelia (Fagundes) DeSaint, 98, passed away peacefully on April 1, 2026, surrounded by her loving family after a long struggle with vascular dementia.  Emelia was born at home on March 12, 1928, to the late Manuel and Emelia (Rose) White and grew up in the city that she loved, East Providence.  She graduated from East Providence High School in 1945.  She was a good student and was proud of being a member of the National Honor Society. 

Emelia met the love of her life, Frederick L. Fagundes.  When he returned from the war, they were united in marriage on February 26, 1949, at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in East Providence.  She was a devoted wife to Fred and a dedicated mother to their nine children.   They raised their family in Rehoboth, MA.  She worked tirelessly to create a warm and loving home for her family that was joyful and welcoming for extended family and friends.  Her children were her life.  Emelia was always in her glory when she was surrounded by her children, and later her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, too.  

She was a talented pianist, although she did not find much time to play during her busy life raising the family.  For a period of years, she assisted Irma Souza, her best friend, in overseeing all the Girl Scout troops for Rehoboth.  Camping trips and many other scouting activities during those years are remembered by many mothers and daughters in the community.  Her love of reading lives on in many of her children and grandchildren.  She enjoyed doing puzzles and would frame and give away many of her completed works.  She was an amazing ballroom dancer.  Her love of ballroom dancing began at an early age and she took it up again in her later years.  Her beautiful smile and laugh would light up any room. 

She lost her beloved Fred to cancer in 1990 at the age of 61. 

She met and later married James DeSaint in 1997 and moved to Florida for fifteen years, where they enjoyed the Florida sunshine and ballroom dancing together until he passed away in 2001.  She later returned home to Rehoboth to be with her large family and dear friends in 2012 and eventually returned to her beloved East Providence.    She was always active and loved to keep busy until vascular dementia overtook her life.  Yet, even then, her smile would still light up the room. 

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Fred, and her second husband, Jim DeSaint, her daughter-in-law, Wendy Fagundes, and son-in-law, Ken Osfield. 

Emelia is survived by her loving and devoted children, Rae G. Caldwell and her husband, Frank, of North Dighton, MA; Frederick L. Fagundes, Jr. and his wife Patricia (Cassidy) of Rehoboth, MA; Janice E. DuFresne-Ringuette, and her husband, Roger Ringuette, of Providence, RI; Carol J. Ferris and her husband, Robert, of Wrentham, MA; Barbara J. Fagundes of Warwick, RI; Elizabeth M. Osfield (husband, Kenneth, pre-deceased) of Gainesville, FL; David C. Fagundes (wife, Wendy (Fanjoy), pre-deceased) of Dighton;  Diane Gonzalski and her husband, Thomas, of Mashpee, MA; and John Fagundes and his wife, Julie Coughlan, of Assonet, MA.  She has nineteen cherished grandchildren: Lisa (Al) Camera, Brian (Tracy) Caldwell, Ginger (Jonathan) Stabach, Frederick (Helen) L. Fagundes III, Jackie (Amy) Dufresne, Jessica (Dufresne) Vendittelli, Heather (Meghan Griffiths) Johnson, Joshua (Kerrie) Johnson, Kera Fagundes-Osfield and Emma Osfield, Aidan (Elyse) Fagundes, Conor, Roarke and Callie Fagundes, Jordan (Sean) Keene, Leah (James) Jackson, Matthew Gonzalski, and Nicholas and Jacob Fagundes.  She also has twenty-three cherished great-grandchildren:  Vincenzo (Emma), Frank (Riana) and Madelyn Camera; Ethan and Daniel Caldwell, Evan, Colin and Phineas Stabach;  Grace and Owen Fagundes; Jackson and Brayden Dufresne; Olivia and Lily Vendittelli; Brody and Brynn Johnson; Lincoln Jackson; Paisley, Avery, Hope and Landyn Fagundes; and Kian and Blake Fagundes; as well as her many dear nieces and nephews, and extended family members. 

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a time of visitation with the family on Friday, May 22, from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Rebello Funeral Home at 901 Broadway, East Providence, RI.  A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Saturday, May 23,  2026 at 10:30 am at Rehoboth Congregational Church, 139 Bay State Road, Rehoboth, MA.  In lieu of flowers, her family requests that memorial donations be made in her memory to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.  For more details and to leave her family condolences, please visit www.rebellofuneralhomes.com. 

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