Margaret (Pedro) Canto

NEW BEDFORD — Margaret A. (Pedro) Canto, 83, of Duke Street New Bedford, died Thursday, Aug. 16, 2007, at St. Luke’s Hospital after a long illness. She was the wife of Oldemiro M. “Don” Canto. They recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on June 14, 2007.

Born in New Bedford, she was the daughter of the late William J. Pedro and Anna (Rogers) Pedro. She lived in New Bedford for 60 years and Dartmouth for 20 years and was a communicant of St. Julie’s Billiart Church.

Mrs. Canto worked as a secretary for the Department of Justice, Immigration and Naturalization until 1952.

She was the Past Department President of the Mass. Department of Amvets Auxiliary; Bristol and local Post 62, and was a Brockton V. A. Hospital Volunteer.

Mrs. Canto enjoyed travel, family outings, gardening, and her grandchildren. She was always helping unfortunate people. No words can express her love to all and her words were always “remember me as loving you.”

Survivors include her widower, Oldemiro “Don” Canto; a daughter, Caryn Drapkin of Waldoboro, ME; two sons, Roger Canto of Dartmouth and John Canto of Raynham; and four grandchildren, Anna Drapkin and Abigail Drapkin, both of Waldoboro, ME, Brian Canto of Westboro and Sean Canto of Dartmouth. She also leaves a sister Florence Nesbit of Dartmouth and several nieces and nephews. Mrs. Canto was the sister of the late Ernest Pedro, Dorothea Leva and Dolores Vivin.

Calling hours are 6-8 p.m. Friday at the Perry Funeral Home, 111 Dartmouth St., New Bedford. Funeral will be at 9 a.m. Saturday at St. Julie Billiart Church. Burial will follow at St. John Cemetery. Relatives and friends are invited.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Community Nurse and Hospice Care, 62 Center St., Fairhaven, MA 02719 or Children’s Hospital Trust, 1 Autumn St., Boston, MA 02215.