Monday, June 18, 2012

Amanuensis Monday–A Brazilian Death Record: Sarah Vasques Madeira Webster

Amanuensis Monday – An Amanuensis is a person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.  Amanuensis Monday is a popular ongoing series created by John Newmark at Transylvanian Dutch.

Sarah Vasques Madeira

Sarah Vasques Madeira was my maternal grandmother.  She was born on February 23, 1900 in Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.  She married my grandfather, Debs Warren Webster, on April 4, 1936 in Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.  Sadly, Sarah passed away on July 15, 1942, just a short six years after they were married.

My mom, Sarah’s daughter, remembers the day Sarah died, even though my mom was a very small child.  I asked my mom about this day:
Sarah was going to be the matron of honor for her niece and was at home getting ready for the wedding when she fainted on the sofa. Sarah had suffered from fainting spells in the past.  My grandfather tried to revive her.  The doctor was called and Sarah was taken to the hospital, where she died.  My mom’s last recollection of Sarah was seeing her collapsed on the sofa that day.  It turned out that Sarah suffered a cerebral hemorrhage.
Below is Sarah’s death certificate:



Basic translation of Sarah’s death certificate:

I certify that in number 22988, page 161, in book 65C  contains the assertion of death of Sarah Madeira Webster which occurred on 15 July 1942 at 2:30 in this district, in Paulista Institute.

sex - female, color - white, originally from Rio Grande, State of Rio Grande do Sul, 42 years of age, married, resident and living at rua Almeida, no 12, in this city.

Daughter of Alvaro Borges Madeira and Rosalia Vasques Madeira. She was married to Debs Webster, in this city - free, married for 6 years, in this marriage was born a daughter by the name of (removed for privacy reasons), minor of age. Left goods, no probate.

The certificate was made by Dr. Cicero M. de Barros, who gave as cause of death cerebral hemorrhage.

The burial was made in the Municipal Cemetery of Araca.

The informant was Jose Simoes de Oliveira.
 
Thanks for reading!


Copyright © Jana Last 2012

6 comments:

  1. Death certificates can seem so impersonal at first glance, but there's someone's human story behind them ... like this story of loss for your family. A lovely picture of your grandmother.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much for your compliment obout my grandmother's picture and for your kind words. I really appreciate it.

      Delete
  2. Although I've heard this story recounted many times over the years, reading the death certificate really brings everything into focus. It's so sad... on so many levels.

    Cindy at Rosehaven Cottage

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