John "João Francisco" Carvalho, 70, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, after a challenging but courageous battle with Parkinson's disease. He was the husband of his beloved lifelong love, Odilia (Oliveira) Carvalho.

Born in Remedios, Bretanha on his cherished ilha verde, São Miguel, Açores to João and Angelina Carvalho (who predeceased him), João was known in his youth to travel the island hastily on his bicycle, making record time between his job in Ponta Delgada and his dinner table at home with his family. João valued his siblings intensely, including his sister, Angelina Pacheco (husband Jose) of Toronto, ON, and Maria dos Anjos DeMedeiros (husband Silvestre). He was heartbroken to have been predeceased by his siblings Maria Fatima DeSousa (husband António) and Manuel Natal (wife Jorgina) whose company he valued ever so intensely.

Above all else, João was the ultimate loyal, adoring, steadfast, family man. He cherished every moment with his children, Jason (wife Kim) of New Bedford, and Janessa (husband Brandon) of Dartmouth, and his darling grandchildren, Sarah, Kendall, Jonah, Finley, and Marliese. He would never deny any request to help his family, at any cost, and his support and pride for each of them was always palpable. Beyond anyone else in this world, however, he completely adored his beloved wife Odilia, and would do anything to ensure her happiness and comfort. Her feelings for him were mutual, evidenced by her complete dedication to him in health and illness. While their terrestrial love has ended, there is no question their bond will remain forever.

João took the utmost pride in being a diligent and industrious worker. Known to seemingly break records in never using any sick time, João spent much of his career in the textile industry at Joan Fabrics both in front of the loom and in the office as a supervisor. When his factory closed, João wasted no time in pivoting to a new profession as a laborer at Cardi Corporation. While the new job was hard on his body, he thoroughly enjoyed the ability to work in the fresh air, never complaining about the temperature, including working in extreme hot and cold. He lamented that he missed many precious memories with his family while at work, but took his role seriously as the major provider for his family; it was his priority that they were never of want or need of anything.

João adored all things nature and landscaping. His backyard was his oasis. He was known to graft multiple fruits onto the same tree, resulting in a beautiful diverse bounty each season. He also had a remarkable skill for pruning and reviving even the most difficult and non-blooming plants back to beautiful blooms. Unlike most, he always referred to yardwork as "playing" and loved every opportunity to give lengthy, detailed tours of each flower, plant, and tree in his yard to anyone who would listen.

João had many interests. He adored traveling to his beloved island as often as he could, listening to all music (but particularly Portuguese marching bands, especially the one from his childhood church, Nossa Senhora dos Remédios). He also was a lifelong fan of the Sporting soccer team, but never let them ruin his day as he would turn off a losing match without a second thought. In retirement, João took to other experiments, such as pickling vegetables-his family enjoyed the fun surprise of seeing what vegetable and flavor combination he was working on that particular month. He also enjoyed doing chores at his children's homes, surprising them when they arrived from work to new landscaping and other outdoor projects (they preferred to refer to him as their little work elf).

João was an ultimate foodie, enjoying all of his traditional Portuguese favorites, but never declining an opportunity to try a new food. He loved fresh seafood, anything with little bones that required lots of effort, and all fresh fruits and vegetables. He craved a hearty bowl of "assorda" after a long day at work but never hesitated to stick a fork in sushi or any other novel food. He reveled in introducing his cultural foods to his son-in-law, and tried to never miss sharing a goat dinner with him. Like many, his meals never were quite as satisfying if it wasn't washed down with his favorite house red wine. He also was known to have a sweet tooth, never turning down a cruller or eclair. Meals shared with family were treasures to him and he greatly valued weekly Sunday lunches together.

His Funeral Mass was celebrated on Monday, January 10th, in Holy Trinity Parish Church followed by his committal and entombment at the Notre Dame Cemetery Mausoleum. If desired, donations in João's memory can be made to the Michael J. Fox foundation.

Family members are always grateful for relatives and friends wishing to make in-person expressions of kindness and support. If you were unable to do so, because of this pandemic or any other reason, all are urged to express their sympathy online or by mail. To ensure that said condolences and/or sympathy cards reach the family, please always make sure that submissions online are made directly through the funeral home's website ( www.silvafaria.com ) and not through a third party. Thank you!