Frank P. Silva

Pacific Grove ~ Francisco P. Silva was born in Villa Nova, Terceira, The Azores to Francisco Gregorio Silva and Maria Adelaide Lima. He was one of six children including Manuel, Lorenso, Joao, Jose and Maria.

Frank and his wife, Maria Rosa Fonseca Silva, had nine children. They and six of their children immigrated to New Bedford, Massachusetts in 1968 and came to Pacific Grove the following year where they bought their home on Cypress Avenue. Their oldest daughter, Fatima, married the local police chief in Angra; their second daughter, Nalia, also married there and their oldest son, Francisco, went to war in Angola, Africa.

Francisco was a very talented man in woodworking, growing things from the earth, raising cattle, training bulls and horses to work the fields and plowing to grow wheat and corn for flour so his wife could make bread for their children in the hardest of times. Their achievements in life were Biblical. Without running water, electricity or medicines, they healed and cured from herbs they grew at a time when Portugal was under a dictator named Salazar.

After moving to Pacific Grove, Francisco worked at Cypress Point Golf Course for nine years, at Robert Louis Stevenson School washing dishes, at Rancho Canada cutting fairways on a tractor, at Hector deSmet’s bakery as a baker for three years and at the Fort Ord Golf Course for nineteen years while finding time to make beautiful violins, canes, laminated chairs and dressers for himself and his children. Following retirement, he stayed busy taking care of cattle on a ranch in Hidden Hills for the former owners of MonteMart and Value Max who had the utmost respect for him. He was able to raise some of his own cattle there. Francisco loved working with animals and, using his old school medicines, he was like a veterinarian, amazing people with his cures and techniques of old.

Francisco was a past-president of the Portuguese Hall FDES Celebration of Monterey of the Holy Spirit, founder of the Celebration of the Divine Holy Spirit in Pacific Grove and a member of Our Lady of Fatima at St. Angela Merici. He loved God above all things and prayed the Rosary twice daily.

Francisco’s children were his life. His son, Elmer, said, “I will never forget him and what he taught me and did for me. He once told me, as we talked about how working hard keeps you out of trouble, ‘Son, work is men and women’s salvation.’ That gave me goose bumps. I love you, Dad. Your sons, daughters and grandchildren will all miss you, remember you and pray for you.”

Francisco is survived by his wife of 71 years, Maria Rosa Silva; his children, Elmer Silva of Castroville, Joey (Jolyn) Silva of Monterey and Kenneth deSilva of Seaside, Rosa (Edwin) Pereira of San Jose, Fatima (Jaoquin) Rodrigues of The Azores and Nalia (Adelino) Barcelos, of New Bedford, Massachusetts; twelve grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his children, Felix in 1998, Francisco in 2010 and Marta in 2011.

Visitation will be at The Paul Mortuary Chapel today, Tuesday, June 5 from 4:00 – 7:00 PM. Rosary and Mass of Christian Burial will take place at St. Angela Merici Church in Pacific Grove tomorrow, Wednesday, June 6 at 12:00 noon followed by burial at El Carmelo Cemetery. Please visit www.thepaulmortuary.com to sign Francisco’s guest book and leave messages for his family.

“God bless you Dad and may your soul rest in peace”