Joseph F. Souza, Sr

Middletown, RI - Joseph Francis Souza, Sr., 99, of 228 Peckham Avenue, Middletown, RI, died Saturday, November 13, 2010 at Newport Hospital. He was the husband of the late Belmeida Bettencourt Souza. Born in St. Michael, the Azores, on March 13, 1911, he was the son of the late Joseph Francis and Antonia daPont Souza.Mr. Souza retired after 24 years for Peckham Brothers Construction Co. He also worked as the market gardener for the John Foster Peabody Farm. Mr. Souza was a communicant of Jesus Saviour church. He was an avid gardener and enjoyed wood carving, the Red Sox and enjoyed fishing in his younger days. He is survived by his son Joseph Francis Souza, Jr. and his wife Mary of Middletown, RI, his grandsons Joseph Francis Souza, III and his wife Susan of Middletown, Dr. Michael Christopher Souza of Dighton, MA, and Peter James Souza and his wife Nancy of Warwick. He is also survived by 8 great grandchildren and 6 great great grandchildren. He also leaves two sisters in law Anna Bettencourt and Emma Virgadamo, and his neighbors and close friends, George and Esther Perry.He was the father of the late Ethel Mabil Souza and brother of the late Manuel Souza, Frank Souza, Mary Michaelczik, Rose Conant and Louise Burdick.His funeral will be held on Tuesday, November 16 at 9:00am from the Memorial Funeral Home, 375 Broadway, Newport, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00am, in Jesus Saviour Church, Broadway and Vernon Avenue, Newport. Burial will be in Newport Memorial Park in Middletown.Calling hours are Tuesday morning from 9:00-10:30am in the Memorial Funeral Home. Donations in his memory may be made to the Middletown Rescue Wagon Fund, 239 Wyatt Road, Middletown, RI 02842 or the Middletown Knights of Columbus, 7 Valley Road, Middletown, RI 02842.