Alzida (Elsie) Alva Ferro died at Care One in New Bedford on October 4, 2020, after a long illness. A longtime Dartmouth resident, she was born in New Bedford, the daughter of Mr. Manuel and Alice (Silva) Alves.

Elsie was married sixty-seven special years to the “Love of her life” and “Best Friend,” the late Jacintho “Jesse” S. Ferro.

They resided in Dartmouth since 1946 and were members of Mt. Carmel Church in New Bedford.

Elsie worked alongside her husband Jesse on the grill in the family business, The Willow Tree Ice Cream and Sandwich Shoppe.

Since 1979, she was also an active volunteer at the Dartmouth Council on Aging, where she had a hug for everyone.

She was a phone receptionist, coordinator of monthly parties, organized the Senior Sweetheart Pageant, and was selected Senior Sweetheart in 1996. She also volunteered at the COA serving meals and knitted shoulder capes for nursing homes.

Her hobbies were knitting, needlepoint on plastic canvas and reading. As a youngster, Elsie loved to sing and dance.

At eight years old and through her teens, she sang in her Dad’s Madeiran Folklore Dance Group and performed in singing skits for various charities and fundraising events.

Elsie was predeceased by a brother Carl Alves and sisters Maria Alfonso and Amelia “Millie” Martin.

Her survivors include a very special godchild, Laura Ferro Gula, one of twenty-four godchildren, twenty-eight nieces and nephews, forty-eight great nieces and nephews and thirty-two great-great nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Dartmouth Council on Aging, 628 Dartmouth St., South Dartmouth, MA 02748.

Burial was at the Bourne Veterans Cemetery.