And Lopes also mourns many of her friends who have died in recent years.
But she says she must remind herself that her mission--the ideal of giving her children opportunities she did not have--has been a success.
Despite her occasional loneliness, Lopes says she has no regrets.
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One of her children works in the area as a secretary. Another is a civil engineer. And they still speak to her in Portuguese.
"They all live here as professionals," she says. "I gave them a good future."