Joseph Ribeiro

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution announces with great sorrow the death of retiree Joseph Ribeiro on April 3, at his home after a brief illness.  He was 85.

Joseph was born in Cambridge, MA, and resided in New Bedford most of his life.

Joseph began working at WHOI in 1960 as a messman about the R/V Bear and over 28 years worked on many of the Institutions research vessels.  In 1961, he transferred to the R/V Chain and in 1962, he was promoted to cook on the R/V Gosnold.  From 1964 to 1989, he worked as steward and cook about the R/V Crawford, R/V Atlantis II, R/V Oceanus, and R/V Lulu.  He retired in 1989 and was rehired in 1991 as a relief steward aboard the R/V Oceanus until 1992.

Joseph was a parishioner of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church. He loved to travel all over the world, and enjoyed collecting precious metals and ivory.  He was World War II Army Veteran.

Joseph was the husband for 48 years to Aurora (Taveira) Ribeiro and the son of the late Jose and Rosa (Sousa) Ribeiro.  He is survived by his wife of New Bedford; two sons, Thomas Ribeiro of New Bedford, and James Ribeiro of Virginia; one daughter Irene Rose Andrade and her husband Antonio of New Bedford; one brother Manuel Ribeiro of South Africa; and one sister Ilda Ribeiro of Portugal. He is survived by five grandchildren, Melissa, Stacie, and Marc Ribeiro and Kassandria and Alexander Andrade, and many nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held on April 9, at Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church in New Bedford, followed by Interment with military honors was at Sacred Heart Cemetery #2.  For online condolences, please visit www.cabralbaylies.com.

Some of the information for this obituary was taken from the Cabral Baylies Square – Lamoureux Funeral Home website.