Joseph E. Fernandes, 84, of Norton, the former Chairman of the Board of Fernandes Super Markets and treasurer of J&R Investment, died, Sunday August 19, 2007 at Sturdy Memorial Hospital in Attleboro. He was the husband of Annabelle (Watson) Fernandes.
Born in Madeira, Portugal on March 12, 1923 Mr. Fernandes was the son of the late Jose and Rosa (Teixeira) Fernandes. He had lived most of his life in Norton. He was a 1947 graduate of Boston University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree and received an honorary doctorate from Stonehill College.
He was an Army veteran, serving as a lieutenant during World War II, having earned the ETO-5 Battle Stars Presidential Unit Citation. Mr. Fernandes was a member of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Founding Fernandes Super Markets in 1947, he remained in the industry until 1978, building a chain of 37 supermarkets employing over 2700 people in southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Mr. Fernandes was the co-founder and director of Staff Supermarket Associates, served as vice president of Super Market Management Association and was a special consultant for food distribution for the International Basic Economy Corporation headed by Nelson D. Rockefeller. While active in the industry, he served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Food Marketing Institute as well as the Massachusetts Retail Grocers Association who elected him to their Hall of Fame in 1996. Mr. Fernandes also served as President of the International Association of Chain Stores headquartered in Paris, France and the head of Todos Supermarkets in Puerto Rico.
Ever mindful of his Portuguese heritage, Mr. Fernandes was the founding President and director of the Portuguese American Federation and also served as Chairman of the Portuguese Cultural Foundation from whom he received the President’s award. He was named honorary President of the Portuguese Cultural Union and was a member of the Portuguese Heritage Foundation. Mr. Fernandes served as President and was actively involved in fund raising for the Association for the Development of the Catholic University of Portugal. He served as President of the Portuguese Times and the Portuguese Cable channel serving over 65 communities. He was instrumental in developing the television program “Portuguese Around Us” which aired on WTEV in New Bedford. He was the recipient of the Peter Francisco Award in 1966 and was also the recipient of the Order of Prince Henry Society’s Man of the Year in 1995.
Mr. Fernandes’ civic activities ranged from the local through the international level. He served as Chairman of the Norton school committee, Chairman of the Norton Historical Commission and was a member of the town’s Industrial Commission. Mr. Fernandes
was a member of the Norton Lions Club and the Norton Grange. He served as President and Director of the Bristol County Development Council, Director of the U.S.S. Massachusetts Memorial Committee, was a member of the Republican Club of Massachusetts and ran as a candidate for Massachusetts State Treasurer in 1964. Mr.Fernandes was also appointed by President Kennedy to be a special consultant for the State Department’s Alliance for Progress at Puente Del Este, Uruguay. He was awarded the Bicentennial Salute to Leadership Award in 1976 by Secretary of Treasury, William Simon; the Leadership Award led by President Ford, and received the Prime Minister’s Award Medal from the State of Israel. Mr. Fernandes was listed in Marquis “Who’s Who in America” and “Who’s Who in the World’.
Mr. Fernandes was active in the Boy Scouts of America, serving as President and a Director of the Annawon Council. He also served as a Director of the Northeast Region of the Boy Scouts being the Manpower Committee Chairman. He had been the recipient of the Silver Beaver Award and the Silver Antelope Award.
Mr. Fernandes was a communicant of Saint Mary’s Church in Norton, having formerly served as a Trustee. He was a member of the Sierra Club of Attleboro, and served on the Committee of the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament in New Bedford. He was bestowed the honor of Knight of St. Gregory the Great by Pope John XXIII in 1961 and was named Man of the Year in 1964 by the National Conference of Christians and Jews. In 2000, he was elected to the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher by Pope Paul II.
Mr. Fernandes served on the Board of Directors of BayBank United, Manufacturer’s National Bank, Massachusetts Easter Seal Society, Massachusetts Lung Association, Massachusetts Blue Shield, Goodwill Industries, Fall River Line Authority and Fall River Cable TV. He served as a Trustee for Salve Regina College, Bishop Feehan High School and Stonehill College where he was also a member of the Century Club. Mr. Fernandes also served on the Boards at St. Joseph’s College in Philadelphia, the University of Massachusetts, Boston University and Wheaton College.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Fernandes is survived by his son, Joseph W. “Jay” Fernandes of Norton, his daughter, Marcia Fernandes, of Deerfield Beach, Florida, his daughter, Donna Fernandes-Savage and her husband, Robert, of Buffalo, New York, and a grandson, J. Skyler Fernandes, of Norton.
He is also survived by his three sisters, Bemvinda “Be” Pires, of Deerfield Beach, Florida, Mary Murphy-Gabiola, of Meridian, Idaho and Evangeline “Vangie” Fonseca, of Norton and many nieces and nephews.
His funeral, to which relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend, will be held on Saturday August 25th at 9:00 A.M. from the Norton Memorial Funeral Home 19 Clapp St. (Off Route 140, Taunton Ave.) Norton followed by a Mass of Christian concelebrated at 10:00 A.M. in St. Mary’s Church, South Worcester St., Norton. Burial will follow in the Norton Center Cemetery, Norton.
Visiting hours will be held on Friday August 24th from 4-8 P.M. at the Norton Memorial Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, Mr. Fernandes’s family has requested that donations in his memory be made to St. Mary’s Church Building Fund P.O. Box 430 Norton, MA 02766
For additional information please visit www.nortonmemorial.com