Sybil Mae Moreis, 94, of Oak Bluffs passed away Monday evening, Jan. 6, 2025, at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, her youngest son at her side, having been surrounded by her family at the hospital in the days leading up to her passing.
Sybil was born on Dec. 5, 1930, to Jerome and Maude Gonsalves. She grew up in Oak Bluffs, one of 12 children. Her mother, and she and her siblings, were all members of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah). Sybil was proud of her Wampanoag heritage. She graduated from high school in 1949, and then studied practical nursing at Cape Cod Hospital. After her training she briefly worked in Woonsocket, R.I., caring for special needs children, with whom she fell in love. Unfortunately, her career was cut short when she had to return to the Island to help care for her ailing father.
It was not long after her return that she would start dating a young man named Raymond Moreis, and on Jan. 30, 1954, Sybil and Raymond were married. The young couple did not waste any time, and began growing their family. Between 1954 and 1963, they managed to have 10 children, Raymond Jr., Eloise, Keith, Celeste, Vanessa, Eric, twins Courtney and Carla, Patricia, and Lisa.
Sybil loved music; she played both the violin and the piano. She was even invited to play violin on one occasion with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. She would pass on this love of music to her children. While her husband was off at work and their children were young, Sybil would orchestrate her own family band in their living room. Her children would play on pots and pans, while she played her favorite records by Tom Jones and Engelbert Humperdinck, and they would all sing along.
As a large family, it was not always easy, but her older children always helped with the younger ones, her eldest daughter Eloise being a great help to her mother with her siblings. Sybil would make clothes for her children, and sewing became a lifelong love. She learned to stretch her food pennies, making all kinds of soups and stews, known for her famous fried chicken, potato salad, and her Portuguese sweet rolls. Her food was as incredible as she was, because she made everything with love, her secret ingredient.
As her children grew up, she started working more outside the home. She worked at Anthony’s with her son Eric and her husband, with her daughter Lisa at the Island Inn, and at various other island jobs until she retired in her sixties to start enjoying more of her time being a grandmother.
Sybil Moreis was an intelligent, strong, stubborn, amazing, funny, and caring woman. She was a loving daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend. Some might say she was a “hot ticket.” She had a memory like a vault — you could not get anything past her, even though her children often tried. She always put her family first, because Sybil’s greatest love was her family.
Sybil was predeceased by her husband, Raymond J. Moreis Sr.; her son, Eric Moreis; her sisters, Lillian Garvin and Phyllis Rogers; her brothers, Frank Gonsalves and Philip Gonsalves. She is survived by her children, Raymond Moreis Jr. (Zoey Simpson), Eloise Boales (husband James), Keith Moreis (wife Janine), Celeste Ventura (husband John), Vanessa Ventura, Courtney Moreis (Dee Greenfield), Carla Johnson, Patricia Moreis, and Lisa Roberts (husband David); her daughter-in-law, Cindi Moreis; her grandchildren, Sarah, Dylan, Gary, Zadoc, Carlos, Jacob, Tilicia (whom Sybil and Raymond helped raise), Christopher, Joshua, Jeremy, Mariah, Tyler, Darrell, Noah, Bailey, Kelsey, Madison, Michael, Issac, and Aiden; her 12 great-grandchildren; her sisters, Audrey Moreis and Sandra Porrata, her brothers, Dennis Gonsalves and Jerome Gonsalves; as well as loads of nieces and nephews and many friends.
If you knew Sybil, you could not help but love her. Her family is deeply saddened by her passing, but grateful to know that she is finally at peace. She will be missed more than words can say, forever and always in our hearts.
Graveside services will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 15, at 11 am at the Oak Grove Cemetery in Oak Bluffs.
Her family wishes to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who took such great care of Sybil, starting with the first responders who came to the house, and to everyone at the M.V. Hospital; you treated her with love, kindness, respect, and dignity. The abundance of caring that you showed to our family in our time of need was incredible, and is truly appreciated.
Visit chapmanfuneral.com for online guestbook and information.
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