Manuel Adelino Ferreira

Manuel Adelino Ferreira, 80, of New Bedford, passed away following a lengthy and courageous battle with PSP. He was the husband of the late Isabel Ferreira with whom he shared 54 wonderful years of marriage.

Born in Ribeira das Tainhas, São Miguel, Açores, he was the beloved son of the late Manuel and Maria de Encarnacão Ferreira. He was educated in Portugal and later attended UMass Dartmouth (formerly SMU) where he studied Political Science.

In 1964, he entered the Portuguese Army. From Aug 1965 – Sept 1967, he served in Angola as a Sergeant of his battalion (C. CAÇ 1435). Following his military service, he emigrated to the United States in 1968.

Once arriving in the United States, he devoted his life to serving the Portuguese community. For over 40 years, he was involved in various communication and social roles and was recognized for his work by numerous organizations for his dedication to the Portuguese community.

He began his journalism career in 1970 as a news agent and sports reporter at the Portuguese radio station in New Bedford, WJFD (formerly WGCY).

In 1974, after being recognized for his work in radio, he joined the Portuguese Times as a journalist and became Director/Editor in 1978 where he remained until his retirement in 2012

He was the Founder of the former Luso American Soccer Association (LASA) and served as their President. He also founded the Center for Immigrant Assistance in New Bedford which provided much needed services for the Portuguese nationals in the area.

His work brought him to places around the world, reporting on and representing the Portuguese community. He was lucky enough to meet and interview several sitting Presidents and Prime Ministers around the world throughout his journalistic career. Some of his fondest memories were attending the White House correspondent’s dinner and meeting several U.S. Presidents; being invited to Cape Verde by the then President Pedro Pires to discuss social issues; traveling to Macau on two separate occasions as a member of the Portuguese press and meeting Ted Kennedy at the Kennedy compound. He proudly displayed these memories in pictures that could be found hanging in his office.

He was instrumental in bringing Portuguese content to the former local cable station, Whaling City Cable, which led to the start of the Portuguese Channel. He was involved in various talk show programs on the Portuguese Channel, conducting interviews and keeping viewers informed of the latest news. He had a great interest in Government and Politics which were also often topics discussed on his shows.

He was an avid sports fan and enjoyed watching and cheering for all local teams, however his greatest love was following soccer and rooting for his favorite team, Sporting. He spent his last days watching and enjoying the World Cup.

He enjoyed spending time with his family, particularly the weekly Sunday dinners hosted at his home, then later hosted by his children who continue with this tradition.

He valued spending time with friends, playing dominoes, enjoying a good espresso or a nice glass of wine. He also enjoyed his frequent trips back to his homeland and annual gatherings in Portugal with his former military friends whom he shared an over 50-year friendship. He was an avid traveler and was lucky enough to travel to all corners of the world.

He leaves behind three children, Suzy Clasby and her husband Steven of Taunton, Ruy Ferreira and his wife Katie of Lakeville and Sonya Silva and her husband David of Rochester; his sister Idalina Matos of Dartmouth, and his brothers, Armando Ferreira and Gilberto Ferreira of New Bedford. He also leaves behind his grandchildren, Jacob Aubertine, Lauren Aubertine, Jessica Clasby, Aiden Clasby, Samuel Ferreira, Olivia Ferreira, Kylie Silva, Ryan Silva and Lyza Silva. He was predeceased by his sister, Maria do Carmo Ferreira.

His Funeral will be held on Friday, January 6, 2022 at 9 a.m. from the Rock Funeral Home, 1285 Ashley Blvd., New Bedford followed by a Funeral Mass at 10 a.m. in Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church, 136 Earle St., New Bedford. Burial to follow in Pine Grove Cemetery. Visiting hours Thursday 4-7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to CurePSP, 1216 Broadway, 2nd FL, New York, NY 10001 or https://www.psp.org/.