WALLINGFORD - In her home surrounded by her loving family, Lydia Mary Gouveia, one of the most caring, compassionate, and beautiful of God's creatures on Earth, passed peacefully from this life into the arms of the Lord on Monday, January 26, 2015. Lydia was born on March 1, 1949 in New Haven, the daughter of the late Natale S. and Helen P. (Limauro) Ascari. Lydia leaves her devoted husband of 45 years, and best friend for the past 49 years, Peter Gouveia, whom she always called "Pete;" her son, Peter, of Manhattan; her daughter, Natalie Kruize, and her husband, Sander, of Stuart, Florida; and her precious grandchildren, Andy and Maddie, who now have a special angel watching over them. She also leaves behind her Godmother, Vivian Figaro of West Haven; her Godfather, Louis Martino of Roswell, Georgia; her brothers-in-law, Joe (Lucy) Gouveia of Wallingford and Tony (Madalena) Gouveia of Palm Coast, Florida; and her sister-in-law, Carma (Antonio) Faro of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as well as many nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was predeceased by an infant sister, Claudia. Lydia was a 1967 graduate of Lyman Hall High School. She studied pathology at Quinnipiac College and the Yale School of Medicine, and she worked as a lead cytotechnologist at St. Raphael's Hospital for 38 years, a job she absolutely loved in part due to her wonderful friends at the lab. Her greatest joys in life were her husband, her children, and her grandchildren, to whom she was selflessly dedicated, and her friends. Lydia also enjoyed reading, baking, and traveling, and she was a lifelong parishioner of The Church of the Most Holy Trinity. Lydia fought the most valiant and courageous battle with breast and ovarian cancer for the past 14 years with great dignity. Ultimately, cancer ravaged and destroyed her, but it never defeated her. She maintained a clear and uplifting attitude to the very end, and she was an inspiration to all who knew her, especially newly diagnosed patients and their families. Lydia and her family are grateful to her special friends, Josie and Rui Gomes of Wallingford, for their constant love and support. The family would like to acknowledge the dedication and professionalism of the doctors and nurses at Massachusetts General Hospital, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and St. Raphael's Hospital. Most especially, the family is forever indebted to the continuous care, support, and personal attention provided by her primary care physician and friend, Dr. Anu Walaliyadda, whom Lydia often credited with extending her life so she could spend more time with her family. Lydia's family will receive visitors from 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm on Friday, January 30, 2015 at the B.C. Bailey Funeral Home, 273 South Elm Street, Wallingford. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 31, 2015 from the B.C. Bailey Funeral Home where the funeral cortege will depart at 10:00 AM for a mass Christian burial which will take place at 10:30 am at The Church of the Most Holy Trinity, 68 North Colony Road, Wallingford. Interment will be at Center Street Cemetery. Because Lydia was fond of so many different organizations, in lieu of flowers, loved ones may make memorial contributions to the charity of their choice.