Elmiro 'El' Reis Silva
"Beloved Husband & Father"
DANVERS Elmiro 'El' Reis Silva, 70, of Beverly, died after a long illness Wednesday, September 7, 2011 at The Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers. He was the husband of Beatrice Ann (Lemieux) Silva, with whom he was married to for fifty-two years.
Born October 8, 1940, in Graciosa, Azores, Portugal, he was a son of the late Joao Basilio Silva, and the late Maria Amelia (Reis) Silva.
In 1952 he and his father immigrated to Lowell, and he became a citizen in 1959. Early in his life he started working at various shoe shops in Lowell and Haverhill before they closed down. He then was employed by Vesper Country Club in Tyngsboro, where he worked as a mechanic for five years and later for Belmont Country Club as an assistant superintendent, until becoming the Golf Course Superintendent for ten years.
He was a member of the Portuguese American Civic League and a communicant of St. Anthony's Church in Lowell. He enjoyed gardening, fishing, canvas painting, and playing and working for the local soccer teams. Elmiro helped many Portuguese families immigrate, settle, and make a new home and life in Lowell. He resided in Lowell and Billerica for many years before moving to Naples, FL in 1982. He and his sons owned and operated many businesses in Naples including Silva's Landscaping, Enginewity of Naples, Silva Rentals, and Istra Metalcrafts. For the last ten years he worked at Naples Cay Condominiums where he held many positions from maintenance supervisor to resident manager.
In 2005, Elmiro and his wife, Beatrice, retired to Terceira, Azores, Portugal where they lived for five years before returning to Massachusetts due to health reasons.
Besides his wife, Beatrice, he is survived by three sons, Daniel John Silva of Naples, FL, John David Silva of Naples, FL, and Anthony Silva and his wife, Trudy Anne of Dallas, GA; two sisters, Idalmira Silva of North Brookfield, MA and Elidia Noble of Clearwater, FL; two brothers, Alindo Silva and his wife, Alice of Salem, NH, and Louis Silva and his wife, Gail of Kissimmee, FL; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
He was also a brother of the late Aloisio Silva.
YOU ARE INVITED TO HIS CALLING HOURS 2 UNTIL 6 P.M. ON SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 AT THE MCDONOUGH FUNERAL HOME, 14 HIGHLAND STREET, LOWELL 978-458-6816. HIS FUNERAL SERVICE WILL BE HELD AT 6 P.M. IN THE FUNERAL HOME DIRECTLY FOLLOWING THE CALLING HOURS. MEMORIALS IN HIS NAME TO THE KAPLAN FAMILY HOSPICE HOUSE, 78 LIBERTY STREET, DANVERS, MA 01923. PLEASE VISIT WWW.MCDONOUGHFUNERALHOME.COM TO SEND THE FAMILY AN E-CONDOLENCE.
