NEW BEDFORD — Joseph L. Souza, Jr., 80, of New Bedford, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, February 20, 2018 at St. Luke’s Hospital.
Born in New Bedford, son of the late Joseph and Evelyn (Bramwell) Souza, he attended school in Fairhaven and then resided in New Bedford for most of his life.
Mr. Souza worked over 30 years as a fisherman on various scallop boats out of New Bedford, and as Engineer on the Oceanic where he painted the engine with a multitude of colors. Later he worked for the Seafood Co-op fueling boats.
A devoted husband, father and grandfather, he cherished his family and his cat, Willy; and he loved spending time with them and sharing his love of life. An avid fresh water fisherman, Mr. Souza loved spending hours in his boat on Long Pond and was part of the Stream & Lakers Fishing club. For several years during his retirement he could be found at local coffee shops socializing.
His family includes his beloved wife, Elizabeth (Kilik) Souza, his daughter, Pamela (Souza) Dziura and husband William of Lakeville; his son, Joseph Souza and wife Valerie of Acushnet; and grandchildren Jeff, Sandhya and Amanda Dziura and Zachary, Jacob and Emma Souza; a sister, Florence (Souza) Roseman; and several nieces and nephews. He was the brother of the late Paul Souza.
Funeral arrangements are at Wilson Funeral Chapel, 479 County Street, New Bedford, with visiting hours Thursday, March 1, 6-8 p.m. On Friday, March 2, visiting hours 10:30-11:30 a.m. followed by prayer service at 11:30 a.m. and private burial at St. John’s Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations in Joseph’s memory to Lahey Clinic, Institutional Advancement, Lahey Health, 41 Mall Rd, Burlington, MA 01805 or Hospice HPCFM, 20 Commercial Dr., Suite One, Wrentham, MA 02093.