Gilbert C. Oliveira, age 91, a prominent Fall River businessman and civic leader, died Thursday, June 16th, after a short illness. Born in Fall River, he was the son of the late Manuel Curt Oliveira and Gloria (Arruda) Oliveira.
During WWII he joined the US Navy and served his country on all 3 battle fronts, including Europe, North Africa and the Pacific, aboard the destroyer USS Weeden DE-797. He also served in Nagasaki, days after the atomic bomb was dropped, where he was instrumental in the recovery of 63 POW's, and was present in Tokyo Bay for the Japanese Surrender in August, 1945.
Following his discharge, he founded the Gilbert C. Oliveira Insurance Agency in 1949 in Fall River and operated this business for over sixty years until his retirement in 2011.
For decades Mr. Oliveira was an active and highly respected participant in a wide range of civic affairs, having served as President of the Greater Fall River Development Corporation, a long-time Director and Chairman of the Board of the First Federal Savings Bank of America, a Director of Charlton Memorial Hospital, a Director of the greater Fall River Chamber of Commerce, a Director of the United Way and the Fall River Chapter of the American Red Cross.
An avid golfer, he served as President of the New Bedford Country Club, and was a member of the Fall River Country Club and, in Florida, the Pine Island Ridge Country Club. Other memberships include the Westport Yacht Club and the Quequechan Club.
Long active in both insurance and real estate , he was associated with a number of national, state and local professional organizations, including the Board of Insurance Agents, the Greater Fall River Board of Realtors and the Massachusetts Board of Real Estate Appraisers.
In January 1999, he was pre-deceased by his beloved wife of 54 years, Adelia "Lea" (Torres) Oliveira. He is survived by a daughter, Joyce Blackburn (Ronald Arruda) and a son, Gilbert Curt Oliveira, Jr., (wife-Jody), both of Fall River; by three grandchildren, Andrea Eagan (husband-John) of North Attleboro, Ryan Blackburn (wife-Kelly) of Swansea and G. Curt Oliveira, III (Tanya Zilewicz) of Avon, Colorado; by four great-grandchildren, Emerson, Ryan, John Jr., and Phoebe; several nieces and nephews. He was also brother of the late Diane Montella.
He will be best remembered for being a gentleman, who embodied the true meaning of integrity. Gilbert treated everyone he encountered with kindness and respect.
His Funeral Mass was celebrated by Fr. Jay Maddock on Wednesday, June 22nd, in Holy Name Church followed by his committal with military honors at St. Patrick Cemetery.