Sylvia Alexandria (Constantine) Vaz died Saturday, April 25 at Coyne Healthcare Center in Rockland after a long illness. She was 85. Born in New York City, she was the  daughter of the late Alma and Osmond Constantine.  Mrs. Vaz graduated from Holy Cross High School in Manhattan, N.Y. and Fairleigh Dickenson University in Teaneck, N.J.

Mrs. Vaz was a nursery school teacher in Leonia New Jersey in the 1960’s. She also taught elementary school in Hackensack, New Jersey in the 1970’s. Her interest and research in holistic medicine led her to speak on television programs about the benefits of vitamins and health foods. She also taught classes to help people stop smoking. Mrs Vaz loved sewing and painting.  Several of her oil paintings received awards in art shows.  Before her move to Duxbury in 2002, she lived in Carolina Lakes, N.C. where she was a eucharistic minister and communicant.

Mrs. Vaz was the wife of the late Noel Vaz. She leaves her son, Martin Vaz of Foster City, Cal.;  three daughters, Maryanne Toale and her husband John, of Westwood, N.J., Diane Beres, and her husband John, of Galloway, N.J., and Barbara Lehman, and her husband Roger, of Duxbury; a brother, Morris Constantine of Arizona: nine grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.  She was the sister of the late Vincent Constantine, Oswald Constantine, Randolf Constantine, and Gladys Sinclair.

A funeral mass will be celebrated on Monday, May 4 at 9 a.m. at Holy Family Church in Rockland. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to the Residents Activity Fund at Coyne Healthcare Center, 56 Webster Street Rockland, MA  02370. To offer condolences please visit shepherdfuneralhome.com.