Joseph Leonard Dias, 69, of Fall River, husband of Joanne M. Bell, passed away on November 3, 2024, in his home surrounded by his family. A life-long resident of Fall River, he was a son of the late Leonard Joseph Dias and the late Lorraine (Coulombe) Dias.

Joseph obtained his undergraduate degree from University of Massachusetts (formally known as SMU) and a Masters of Counseling and Rehabilitation from Assumption College. He spent much of his career at the Department of Children and Families for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. He was dedicated to helping not only the families he worked with, but also his fellow coworkers. Joe's moral compass was unwavering when it came to equity for all workers. He fearlessly worked towards maintaining fair treatment and pay, for which his colleagues appointed him as the vice president of their union: SEIU MA Local 509.

His quest for equality spanned far beyond his workplace, as he was always involved in social justice initiatives such as the Massachusetts Fair Share program for which he was instrumental in initiating in the 1980s.

A lover of all things water, Joe had a fondness for the beach, fishing, and scuba diving. He was also an avid runner, but it was the art of boxing that stole his heart. He is most locally known for his success as a boxer and his left hook, earning him recognition as a two-time Golden Gloves welterweight champion.

While Joseph had many passions, family was his pride and joy; his greatest role in life was being a father and later a Pépère. He looked forward to babysitting his two grandsons on Fridays. He could often be found dancing with them in the living room to Tina Turner or The Rolling Stones. Nothing made Joe smile more than watching his family grow; he never missed a moment to tell them how much he loved them or how proud he was of them. His legacy will live on through his kin.

Joseph is survived by his wife and best friend of fifty years, Joanne Bell, for whom he adored, as well as his two children, Nicole L. (Bell-Dias) Phenix (husband David) of Fall River and Aaron K. Bell-Dias (wife Katherine) of Brentwood, New Hampshire; three siblings, Mark Dias of Fall River and Laurie Dias-Mitchell and Jill Dumont both of Westport; three grandchildren, Nolan, Leo, and Lena; and many nieces and nephews.

Following a private cremation, a prayer service conducted by Msgr James A. Root, was held on Tuesday, November 19, during a visitation period in our Fall River Chapel. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Joseph's memory to Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, P.O. Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741; 800-708-7644 ( www.michaeljfox.org )

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 health concerns 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!