Joseph M. Serpa

Joseph Matthew Serpa, 88, of, Middletown, RI, died Saturday, September 3, 2011 at Newport Hospital, Newport, RI. He was the husband of the late Edna L. Fletcher Serpa.Born in Fairhaven, MA on November 22, 1922, he was the son of the late Antonio and Olivia Silveira Serpa.Mr. Serpa was a veteran of WWII in the US Navy where he served as a Seabee in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. He worked for many years as a self-employed barber until the mid 1970s, in various locations on Aquidneck Island. After that, he worked for Teknor Apex in Pawtucket, RI as a chemical operator for 10 years, retiring in 1984.Mr. Serpa was a former member of the VFW in Middletown, and he enjoyed fishing and lobstering, and had a real passion for cooking. His greatest passion was the stock market. Joe helped start the ?First Commodities Investing Club of Rhode Island? in the late 60?s and spent a lot of time researching and investing in the stock market. A likely result of his training as a Seabee, he also loved to tinker, fix and modify things around the house.He is survived by his daughter Rosaline Pascoe and her husband William of Middletown, his sister Sarah Silvia of Middletown, and his grandchildren Michael Pascoe and Josh Pascoe and his wife Nicole, as well as his great-grandson Chase Pascoe.He is preceded in death by his sisters, the late Mary Serpa and Elsie Serpa Silveira, and his brother the late Anthony ?Tony? Serpa.Calling hours will be held Wednesday, September 7 from 4:00-7:00 pm in the Memorial Funeral Home, 375 Broadway, Newport.His funeral will be held on Thursday, September 8, at 8:00am from the Memorial Funeral Home, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 9:00am in Jesus Saviour Church, Broadway and Vernon Avenue, Newport. Committal prayers with Military Honors will follow at St. Columba Cemetery in Middletown.Memorial donations may be made to The Middletown Rescue Wagon Fund, 239 Wyatt Rd, Middletown, RI 02842.