Jose Helder Freitas Obituary

Jose Helder Freitas attended New Bedford High School in New Bedford, MA. View the obituary, post a memory, or share a photo about Jose Helder Freitas.

Graduation Year	Class of 1976
Date of Passing	Mar 25, 2015
About	Jose H. “Joe” Freitas, age 56, of Dartmouth passed away on Wednesday, March 25, 2015, at Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston after a courageous battle with cancer. He passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family. He was the beloved husband of M. Alice (Alves) Freitas with whom he would have celebrated 28 blessed years of marriage in June. Joe was born in Calheta, Sao Jorge, Azores to the late Arnaldo B. Freitas and Maria Ernestina (Silveira) Freitas of New Bedford. He immigrated to the United States at the age of 16 and lived in New Bedford for many years before moving to Dartmouth in 2001. Joe graduated from New Bedford High School in 1976 and earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Management from the former SMU, now UMass-Dartmouth, in 1984. Throughout high school and college Joe was employed as a pharmacist’s assistant at the former Bettencourt’s Pharmacy in the North End of New Bedford where he made many life-long friends. Joe embarked on a career as a Business Consultant for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Office of Economic Development for over 16 years. During his tenure there he also completed training in Importing and Exporting. He then worked for several years at the UMass-Dartmouth Donovan Career Center until his illness. Joe was a philanthropist who exemplified what it meant to pay it forward in the many efforts he supported, such as fundraisers, which he volunteered for with his brothers-in-law. He was a Board Member and held various positions throughout the years for the Luso American Life/PCU, Lodge #4. Joe was a communicant of St. Julie’s Church in Dartmouth where he volunteered annually for the Septemberfest. Together with his children, he enjoyed many summers in the Azores. He was a loyal Patriots fan and a loving family man who enjoyed entertaining and cooking.