Obituary of Toni Sousa

Toni Lynn Marie Sousa, 52, of Carver, passed away in the early morning on December 4 after a 10-month battle with pancreatic cancer.

Toni was born on 11/23/71 to Roy Alvin McWilliams and Sarah Ann McCoy in New Bedford, MA. After graduating from New Bedford High School in 1989. She was a member of New Bedford’s ROTC program. Toni went on to receive a bachelor’s degree in finance at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth in 1994. She then received a job at State Street Banking in 1997 leading to a 26-year career with the company in Boston.

In 1994, Toni met her future husband, Paul Sousa. They got married in 1995 before having two children Dalton and Cora in 2000 and 2003 respectively. 

What Toni is best known for is having an infectious smile and uplifting the spirits of everyone around her. There has not been a person who has walked away from Toni without a smile on their face. Whether it was at swim meet officiating or a random store she was always so happy to interact with friends, family, strangers. There was nothing Toni was not willing to try. She’d set her mind to anything and get it done. Her spirits were high until the day she passed.

Nothing will dull the sting of losing Toni too early in this world, but she always cared about giving back and elevating others. Through our everyday lives we can keep Toni's memory alive by helping our neighbors, giving back to our communities, and investing in education and youth, which has always been a huge part of Toni’s personality and why she cared for so many of us.

Toni is survived by her loving husband Paul, her two kids, her mother, her sister, and various cousins throughout the country.

Visiting hours will be held on Friday, December 8th from 10:00 AM -12:00 PM. A graveside service will follow at Central cemetery in Carver at 12:30 PM.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to Team Sousa’s fundraiser with Swim Across America’s mission to help beat cancer. Donations can be submitted at the following link: http://www.swimacrossamerica.org/goto/TeamSousa or by check to8508 Park Road, #389, Charlotte, NC. 28210 with a note for Team Sousa.