Leonardo M. Dias
"He was an active member of the Saint Vincent DePaul Society for 15 Years"
TEWKSBURY Leonardo M. Dias, 65, of Tewksbury, died Saturday, December 13, 2008, at Massachusetts General Hospital after a brief illness with lymphoma. He was the husband of Maria Conceicao (DeMelo Cunha) Dias, with whom he celebrated their 40th Wedding Anniversary this past July.
Born October 18, 1943, in Graciosa, Azores, Portugal, he was a son of Eugenia Lima-Dias of Graciosa, and was educated in that area. He served in Angola South Africa with the Portuguese Military. While living in Graciosa, he delivered bread throughout the entire Island. In 1978, he moved with his family to the United States, and has made his home in Lowell, and more recently in Tewksbury for the past twenty two years. He had worked for Prince Packaging for nine years.
A communicant of St. Anthony’s Church, he loved to sit and listen to his wife sing with the Choir and he was also an active member of the Saint Vincent DePaul Society for fifteen years, as well as a member of the Holy Ghost Society and the Portuguese American Center. He looked forward to attending Church and Family gatherings, and always liked to see people happy, and always had a smile on his face. He especially enjoyed playing with and watching his grand nieces and grand nephews, including, Tanya, Chelsea, Ashley, Kiara, Rod, Jackson, Max, and Gavin, and enjoyed making his wine on a yearly basis.
In addition to his wife, Maria Conceicao, and his mother, Eugenia, he is survived by three sons, Leonardo "Junior" Dias and his wife, Carla, of Graciosa, Azores, Portugal, Jose Dias of Tewksbury, and John Dias of Tewksbury; three grandchildren, Mariel and John Dias of Tewksbury, and Axel Dias of Graciosa; three brothers Eutimo Lima and his wife, M. Fatima of Methuen, Jose Lima of Graciosa, Azores, and Arceolindo Bettencourt and his wife, Maria Lima, of Lowell; three sisters, Conceicao Lima of Graciosa, Azores, Asencao Silva and her husband, Francisco, of Lowell, and Maria Joao Pereira and her husband, Manuel, of Methuen; several brothers and sisters in law, Avelino Cunha and his wife, Glorinda, Adelina Silva and her husband, Aristes, Leontina Costa and her husband, Francisco, Isalino Cunha and his wife, Maria, and Anna Silva and her husband, Julio, all of Graciosa, Azores, Manuel DaCunha of Portugal, and Lucy Cunha and her husband, Jose, of Flores, Azores, Noelia Sousa of Lowell, Silvina Bettencourt of Tewksbury, Artur Cunha and his wife, Manuela, of Dracut; and several nieces, nephews, Godchildren, grand nieces and grand nephews in the Lowell area and the Azores.
He was also the son in law of the late Manuel and Alvarina Cunha and brother in law of the late Manuel Silva, the late Manuel Bettencourt, and the late Manuel Sousa, the late Elvina Cunha.
YOU ARE INVITED TO HIS CALLING HOURS 4 UNTIL 8 P.M. ON WEDNESDAY.
ON THURSDAY, HIS FUNERAL WILL BEGIN AT 9 A.M. AT THE MCDONOUGH FUNERAL HOME, 14 HIGHLAND STREET, LOWELL (978 OR 800) 458-6816.
HIS FUNERAL MASS WILL BE OFFERED AT ST. ANTHONY’S CHURCH AT 10 A.M..
Church address for directions 893 Central Street Lowell, MA 01852
BURIAL IN LOWELL CEMETERY.
