Any pointers would be great. Thanks.
If needed I can scan a few.
Two thoughts: Contact the Brazilian embassy/consulate. Ask for someone to help interpret the documents for you
or
Contact a language school such as Berlitz to see if someone can translate.
bfltr
What are you needing to do with them? Did she die in Brazil or the US? Are you needing to look through a will, or are you looking to contact people for her funeral?
We have a close friend that was able to get her documents for residency translated (Spanish) at a local non-profit (yeah, it also serves illegals). However, a nearby college that teaches Portuguese could also be of help. For legal items, make sure they have a notary public doing them.
I wouldn't depend on it for a "binding" translation.
Here's some info on Portuguese names. I knew the Spanish often use both the mother's and father's surnames and it looks like the Portuguese do too.
Get to an LDS Family History Center:
http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/FHC/frameset_fhc.asp
If someone there can’t help you with the translation, they will know someone who will. Brazil is a big missionary destination, so the chances of finding someone close who can help are pretty good. I’ve been to many such a center and the people there are mostly very helpful, even to a Catholic like me.
On a different note, also included is my wife’s grandfathers military record.
He was with the 96th Bomb Wing in WWII
His campaigns included
Air Off Europe
Ardennes
Rhineland
Central Europe
and Normandy
He received
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
Good conduct medal
and the Bronze Star
Since your primary interest here is genealogy, Rootsweb is friend. If I were you, I’d subscribe to the Rootsweb mailing list for Brazil and post an appropriate query there. You’re bound to get help. Click here:
http://lists.rootsweb.ancestry.com/index/intl/BRA/BRAZIL.html