Megan Marie Saldanha, age 96, of O'Fallon, Ill., born May 14, 1926 in Bombay, India, passed away November 21, 2022 at Dammert Center at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows, Belleville, Ill.

Megan grew up in Bombay and was a student of the famed educator Maria Montessori. In early adulthood, she taught at an Indian Montessori school. In 1948, she married Louis Saldanha, a Captain in the Indian Army. She became a stay-at-home mother while raising her six children.

Megan's daughter Rita was the first to immigrate. In 1984, she brought Megan to live with her; later, the rest of Megan's children came to the United States. Megan's husband Louis followed some time afterwards. After her arrival, Megan and Louis stayed with Rita in South Carolina. After Louis passed in 1999, Megan continued to stay in South Carolina until she moved to O'Fallon to stay with Judy in 2007. Most recently, she resided at Dammert Center at The Shrine in Belleville, Ill. Megan was a faithful parishioner at St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church and attended daily mass faithfully as she was able.

Megan was preceded in death by her husband, Lieutenant Colonel Louis Anthony Saldanha; parents Dr. Lawrence "Lawrie" and Elizabeth "Lily," nee Pinto, Saldanha; five siblings, and her granddaughters Maria Louise Larrivee and Annamarie Menzies.

Surviving are her children Dr. Rita (Dr. Denis) Larrivee of South Carolina, Judy (Percy) Menzies of O'Fallon, Ill., Dorothy Narayanan of Utah, Dr. Christalene (Dr. David) Santamore of Baltimore, Md., and Joseph Saldanha of Los Angeles, Calif.; 12 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.

Memorial donations are suggested to either St. Clare Church Building Fund or St. Vincent de Paul Society. Sign the guestbook at www.wfh-ofallon.com.

On Friday, December 2, 2022, the family will receive friends from 9 – 11 am, at St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial to begin at 11 am, with Rev. Jim Deiters presiding. Cremation will follow and she will be laid to rest with her late husband in South Carolina.