Maria Odete Ramos

Maria Odete Ramos, beloved sister, aunt, and friend, passed away peacefully in her sleep on March 7, 2026, at the age of 85.

Born on September 15, 1940, in Óbidos, Portugal, Odete contracted polio at the age of three yet never allowed the disease to limit her spirit or ambitions. She immigrated to Connecticut with her family at age 20 and built a long and successful career as an electronic meter technician at Industrionics of South Windsor, where she worked for more than two decades.

Odete remained remarkably active throughout her life. She was a dedicated member of the Hartford Handicapped Helpers, participating in water rehabilitation programs until the organization disbanded in the late 1990s. She also belonged to the Square Wheelers Square Dancing Group for over ten years, performing at exhibitions across New England. An enthusiastic traveler, she explored much of the United States and returned frequently to Portugal to visit friends and family. In her quieter moments, she enjoyed crocheting delicate doilies and caring for the many cats and birds that shared her home.

Odete is survived by her brother Faustino Ramos and his wife Janice, her brother-in-law Antonio Carago, her nieces and nephew Anne Marie Silva (Sebastian), Rachel Pereira (Ronaldo), Stephanie Miranda (Gilvan), Jennifer Broderick (David), and Joseph Ramos (Zeynep), along with many grandnieces and grandnephews. She was predeceased by her parents, Faustino and Guilhermina Ramos, and her sister Ana Maria Carago.