Catalina Alicea

Attleboro- Catalina Alicea, 86 of Attleboro passed away peacefully with her family by her side on the evening of Wednesday March 23, 2022 at Garden Place Healthcare in Attleboro. She was the wife of the late Pedro Alicea.

Catalina was born on April 30th 1935 to Pedro and Juana (Rivera) Diaz in Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico. After her marriage to Pedro, they settled in Attleboro in 1960. Upon settling in Attleboro, Catalina worked at Swank jewelry factory, Augat jewelry factory and as a librarian before she earned her Associate’s Degree in early childhood education; she then spent her career as a Head Start Teacher and enriched countless young lives with her dedication to their education, especially in the bilingual community. She willingly accepted the role of interpreter for many in the Hispanic community.

Along with her dedication to family and students was her unwavering dedication to her Church and Catholic endeavors. Catalina was a longtime active parishioner of St. Joseph’s Church and St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Attleboro. She was the secretary of the Legion of Mary, she was a CCD Teacher bilingual for many years, a Eucharist Minister and was a recipient of the Marian Medal, an honor she was so humbly proud of.

Catalina is survived by her adored children, Pedro A. Alicea and his wife Susan of South Attleboro, her daughter Aleida Mohammed and her husband Nazim of Pawtucket, RI; her beloved grandchildren Jeremy of Pawtucket and Alex of South Attleboro, Rachael and her fiancé Carlos of Providence, Nazima of Randolph, Shalima of Brockton, and Karla and Craig of South Attleboro; her great-grandchildren Cameron and Cristian of Providence, Jonathan and Jaidah of Randolph, Suriah of Braintree, and Jonny, Dylan and Gabrielle of New Hampshire and her great great granddaughter Nova of Braintree. She is also survived by her sister's Julia Velazquez of Attleboro, Elena Diaz of Puerto Rico, her brother Pedro Diaz of Attleboro and many nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her sister’s Alcadia Diaz, Digna Reyes, Carmen Diaz and Maria Diaz.

Catalina’s family would like to thank all of the caretakers and staff at Garden Place Healthcare and Hope Hospice for their hard work, care and compassion.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend visitation on Wednesday, March 30, 2022 from 4-8 PM at Duffy-Poule Funeral Home, 20 Peck Street, Attleboro. A Funeral will be conducted on Thursday, March 31, 2022 at 9 AM from the Duffy-Poule Funeral Home, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 AM at Holy Ghost Church, 71 Linden Street, Attleboro. Burial will follow at St. Stephen’s Cemetery, 683 South Main Street., Attleboro.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Catalina’s name may be made to the St. Vincent DePaul Society https://svdpattleboro.org/Donate.html or to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital https://www.stjude.org/donate/