Natalia Maria DaSilva, 48, of Peabody, MA, passed February 16, 2019.

Natalia was born to Manuel Espinola DaSilva and Gilbertina Amelia Sousa DaSilva, on November 26, 1970, in Graciosa, Azores, Portugal. She graduated from Peabody Veterans Memorial High School in 1989. She married Alexandrino Jose DaSilva in 1989. Together they raised two children.

She leaves as her legacy two children: Jeffrey DaSilva and Natasha DaSilva, both of Peabody. She also leaves her siblings to cherish her memory: Manuel DaSilva and his wife, Lourdes DaSilva, of Peabody, Maria Espinola and her husband, Manuel Espinola, of Terceira, Azores, Zelio Silva and his wife, Fernanda Silva, of Peabody, Niza Silva and her husband, Helder Silva, of Peabody, Dina Borges and her husband, Vasco Borges, of Peabody, and Isolina Pimentel and her husband, Frank Pimentel, of Peabody. She is also survived by 15 nieces and nephews as well as 14 great-nieces and great-nephews. She was preceded in death by her father, Manuel Espinola DaSilva, April 30, 1926- April 25, 1988.

Natalia and her family pride themselves in their Portuguese heritage. She spent much of her life by her family's side working in the Luso American community in Peabody. Much of her effort had been focused on the Portuguese Benefit Society of Our Lady of Help, where she had become the society's first female president in 2007. She also volunteered her time for Banda Recreativa Portuguesa and the Holy Ghost Society.

She enjoyed listening to music and especially enjoyed spending time with her nieces and nephews and their children. She often said "no matter how much [her family drove her] crazy, [she loved them with her] entire heart".

Natalia was a Quality Assurance Technician until she fell ill from her lifelong struggle with Type 2 Diabetes resulting in a below-the-knee amputation of the left leg in 2015. Her illness worsened over the next few years, creating the need to have an above-the-knee amputation of the right leg. Her diabetes caused renal and cardiac complications. She fought through and kept persevering. She reminded her loved ones that diabetes was serious and advised them to be cautious and take care of themselves. All she wanted was for her family to be happy and healthy. Natalia passed peacefully in her sleep.

Visitation for family and friends is scheduled for Friday, February 22, 2019 from 5 PM to 8 PM at Murphy's Funeral Home located at 85 Federal Street in Salem, MA. Visitation will be followed by a mass at Our Lady of Fatima Church located at 50 Walsh Ave in Peabody, MA on Saturday, February 23, 2019 at 9:00 AM.The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made in Natalia's memory to the American Diabetes Association at www.diabetes.org/donate/.