John M. Arruda, 90 of Somerset, passed away Oct. 14, 2014. He was the husband of the late Lucy (Caetano) Arruda and the son of the late Joseph & Maria Arruda. Prior to retiring in 1986, John worked for Charlton Memorial Hospital and the former Union Hospital in the Maintenance Dept. for 16 yrs. He also worked for J&J Corrugated Box Corp.
Enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1941 and was stationed in San Diego, CA, before Pearl Harbor was bombed. Arruda, a naval veteran of WW II, served in the South Pacific and as a member of the Naval Landing Force on the USS Talladega 208. He made landing at Iwo Jima and Okinawa during the war and was involved in several Kamikaze Attacks. John also witnessed the raising of the US Flag on Mt. Suribachi and the signing of the Peace Treaty on the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, Yokahama, Japan. He also served in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve with a rank of Chief Damage Control Man. He was a member of the VFW Post 8500, Somerset.
He is survived by his 2 daughters: Geraldine “Gerri” Laforge, and her husband Roger of Rehoboth, and Susan Pendelton, and her husband Andrew of Salem, NH; 6 grandchildren; 7 great grandchildren; several nieces and nephews. He was the brother of the late Mary Lashowski, Theresa Anderson, Joseph & Pedro Arruda.
His funeral will take place from the MANUEL ROGERS & SONS FUNERAL HOME, INC. 1521 N. Main St. Fall River on TUESDAY at 8:00 A.M., followed by a burial with Military Honors in the MA National Cemetery, Bourne, MA at 10:00 A.M. Calling hours on MONDAY from 4-8 P.M. Please omit flowers. In memory of John Arruda donations will be accepted for a memory bench at the Massachusetts National Cemetery, Bourne in care of Gerry Laforge at Somerset Credit Union. www.rogersfuneral.com.