Maria Laura Pizarro Sequeira Costa
June 21, 1946 – May 3, 2021
It is with profound sadness that the family of Maria Laura Pizarro Sequeira Costa announce her peaceful passing on May 3, 2021, at the age of 74 years.
Maria Laura was born in Lourenço Marques, province of Mozambique, Portugal. Soon after her birth, her family returned to Lisbon, Portugal, where Maria Laura grew up. At age 10, Maria Laura entered the prestigious Instituto de Odivelas, a military school for girls affiliated with the Portuguese Army. After completing high school, she began university in Lisbon majoring in Geography. She married Artur Manuel Taveira de Brito Subtil before finishing university. Together they had two children, Artur and Sara. In 1977 the Subtil family moved to Lawrence, Kansas so that young Artur could continue his piano studies with Portuguese pianist, Sequeira Costa. At that time, Maria Laura returned to her academic studies, pursing a Bachelor of Arts in Art History at the University of Kansas. Maria Laura’s marriage to Artur ended in 1982 and in 1985 she married José Carlos de Sequeira Costa. Together the couple share one son, Alexandre. In 1992, Maria Laura became a citizen of the United States. In 1998, Maria Laura again returned to college, this time completing her Bachelor of Arts degree in Architectural Studies. She also worked tirelessly behind the scenes supporting her husband’s international career, helping to organize numerous music festivals and piano and violin competitions.
She will be lovingly remembered by her children Artur, Sara, and Alexandre, as well as numerous friends and relatives. She was predeceased by her husband José Carlos, her first husband Artur, and her parents Col. Adalberto Júlio da Nobrega Pinto Pizarro, and Berta da Nóbrega.
Visitation and Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 am on Monday, May 10, at Prince of Peace Catholic Church, 16000 W 143rd Street, Olathe, Kansas. Assistance by Funeral Advocates, LLC.
So sorry for your loss. We are neighbors of Maria, in the same cup-de-sac as her home. I’ve seen her and chatted briefly while on walks around the neighborhood. She seemed very sweet. I loved her front yard garden, which she meticulously cared for and loved tending too. I’m sure she will be greatly missed.
Bruce and Mary Ann Warden
Quail Park Villas
A Última Cantiga.
Num dia que não se advinha,
meus olhos assim estarão:
e há de dizer-se: “Era a expressão
que ela ultimamente tinha.”
Sem que se mova a minha mão
nem se incline a minha cabeça
nem a minha boca estremeça
– toda serei recordação.
Meus pensamentos sem tristeza
de novo se debruçarão
entre o acabado coração
e o horizonte da língua presa.
Tu, que foste a minha paixão,
virás a mim, pelo meu gosto,
e de muito além do meu rosto
meus olhos te percorrerão.
Nem por distante ou distraído
escaparás à invocação
que, de amor e de mansidão,
te eleva o meu sonho perdido.
Mas não verás tua existência
nesse mundo sem sol nem chão,
por onde se derramarão
os mares da minha incoerência.
Ainda que sendo tarde e em vão,
perguntarei por que motivo
tudo quanto eu quis de mais vivo
tinha por cima escrito “Não”.
E ondas seguidas de saudade,
sempre na tua direção,
caminharão, caminharão,
sem nenhuma finalidade.
Cecília Meireles