Mary Leite Fonseca | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the Massachusetts Senate from the 2nd Bristol district | |
| In office 1953–1984 | |
| Preceded by | William E. White |
| Succeeded by | Thomas C. Norton |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Mary Leite March 30, 1915 Fall River, Massachusetts |
| Died | June 13, 2005 (aged 90) Swansea, Massachusetts |
| Resting place | St. Patrick's Cemetery, Fall River, Massachusetts |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | John C. Fonseca Jr. |
Mary L. Fonseca (1915–2005) was a Massachusetts state senator who represented the Second Bristol District from 1953 to 1984. As Assistant Majority Leader, she was the first woman to hold a leadership post in the Massachusetts Senate.
Fonseca was known as a strong supporter of working women and public education. In her first senate speech, she successfully argued for an end to discrimination against women teachers in Massachusetts public schools.