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(CNN) -
Angelina Gonsalves received an unexpected, but much appreciated, delivery last month from the United States Postal Service: a letter her late husband wrote to her mother while he was deployed abroad in 1945.
The letter was written by Sergeant John Gonsalves, a 22-year-old soldier stationed in Germany.
He wrote to him to find out how his family was doing and to let his mother know that he thought he would return to Massachusetts soon.
The letter, dated December 6, 1945 - written several months after World War II ended - would never reach his mother's home.
But 76 years and three days later, it was turned over by the USPS to his widow.
"I read it and it was wonderful," Angelina Gonsalves, of Woburn, Massachusetts, told CNN on Wednesday.
"It is in very good condition. It surprised me too."
Angelina and John did not know each other when he wrote that letter.
The two married in 1953 and had five children.
In 2015, John died at the age of 92.
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In the two-page letter to his mother, also named Angelina, John talks about the "lousy" food options and the weather in Bad Orb, where he was stationed, stating that the sun has not risen for more than half a day on a month.
He ends the letter by sending his love to the family.
The obverse of the envelope bears a six cent stamp.
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"It was a joy to see his face light up when he read his words," Brian Gonsalves, son of Angelina and John, told CNN.
"Being able to see her read something he wrote and remember that story is something she will always have now."
So where was the letter hidden all this time?
That part is unclear, but late last year it was found at the USPS processing center in Pittsburgh, according to a USPS letter sent to Angelina along with John's letter.
Employees at the center recognized the importance of the soldier's letter and that it was part of a family's history, so they began trying to locate John's relatives.
"We are aware of the death of her husband in 2015 (our condolences)," reads the letter from the USPS.
"By virtue of dedicated detective work by the postal employees at this facility, we were able to determine his address, hence this letter was delivered to him, albeit 76 years late. Due to his age and the importance of his story family, the delivery of this letter was of the utmost importance to us. "
Angelina received the letter on December 9, just before the holidays, which her son said was a nice Christmas present.
"I felt like I was back for the holidays," he said.
CNN's Sam Romano contributed to this report.
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