Abel Gonsalves
Published on 10/1/2006
    
Bourne, Mass. — Abel N. Gonsalves, 84, died peacefully on Friday, Sept. 29, 2006, at Bourne Manor Nursing Home from the effects of Alzheimer's disease.

He was the husband of Maria P. (Gomes) Gonsalves; they were married on Jan. 19, 1946. For 40 years they lived on Lovers Lane in East Lyme.

Born in Brava, Cabo Verde, the son of the late Nathaniel J. and Maria P. “BiBi” (Araujo) Gonsalves, he was raised and educated in the Lincoln-Central Falls, R.I. area.

A member of the Niantic Baptist Church, Abel also shared in his wife's faith at St. Matthias Catholic Church.

He began boxing at the age of 14. During his boxing career, he won the Rhode Island Diamond Belt championship, later becoming Rhode Island state champion, Rhode Island Golden Glove champion, and New England All American champion.

He graduated in 1950 with a bachelor of arts degree from Brown University, then continued studies in Portuguese and Spanish at Columbia University. In 1956 he received his master's degree in education from Bridgewater State College. He received the National Science Foundation Scholarship in 1962, and in 1964, completed postgraduate studies in mathematics at Trinity College and Johns Hopkins University.

Mr. Gonsalves taught math at Roosevelt Junior High School in New Bedford from 1954 to 1957 and at New London High School from 1957 to 1981. He believed teaching to be his greatest achievement.

During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army 90th Division 453rd Amphibious Company, participating in the Battles of Normandy, Northern France, the Rhineland, the Ardennes and Central Europe. He was awarded the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater Campaign ribbon with bronze service arrowhead and the Croix De Guerre from the Republic of France.

He will be greatly missed by his loving wife; his wife's cousin, Palmira “Pal” Barboza of Marion, Mass.; his legal guardian, Patricia J. Silveira and her husband, Albert “Abbie” Gomes, of Wareham, Mass.; several cousins; and the many good friends he made during his 40 years in the East Lyme/Niantic vicinity.

His funeral service will held at 10 a.m. Tuesday in the International Church of the Nazarene, 284 Pleasant St., New Bedford, Mass. Burial with military honors will follow in Highland Memorial Park, Johnston, RI. Visiting hours will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday in the Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park St., New Bedford.

For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.