Joseph "Joe" Fernandes

Joe was born on February 20, 1924 in Hudson, Massachusetts, a son of Alberto and Mary (Faria) Fernandes who immigrated from Portugal.

He married Mary Borges on November 7, 1948 in Portland, Maine. They have been married for over 69 years, and would have celebrated 70 years of marriage in November.

Joe worked in the grocery store business for most of his working career in New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Florida.

He joined the U.S. Army on December 7, 1942 at Fort Devens, Massachusetts, exactly one year after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He trained at Fort Andrews, Massachusetts, Portland, Maine and Camp Shelby, Mississippi. Joe then went by train to New York City to board the Queen Mary to head to England in 1943. He joined the 745th Field Artillery Battalion which began its trek from England into France and Germany as part of General George Patton’s Third Army. Joe was a gunman on the 240-millimeter howitzer and remembers firing in Munich and Essen, German for 10 non-stop hours over the Rhine River. He was injured when a truck fell on his legs and back and he was hospitalized in Munich. After he was released from the hospital, he rejoined his battalion that passed through the Buchenwald Concentration Camp. When the war ended in 1945, he and his Army buddies spent time at a chalet in the Swiss Alps until he returned to the United States on a freighter.

Joe and Mary moved to Portsmouth, New Hampshire where their sons Michael and James were born in 1949 and 1953. In 1975 they moved to Clearwater, Florida where they lived for 42 years until relocating to Texas in 2017.

He is survived by his wife Mary, his son Michael and wife Karen of Dallas, Texas; his son James and wife Ann, of Amesbury, Massachusetts; grandson Kevin Fernandes of Monroe, New Jersey; granddaughters Melissa Blood of Amesbury, Massachusetts and Lisa Pelletier of Salisbury, Massachusetts; and six great grandchildren Kylie-Ann, Colbie-Rose, Kyle, Alex, Avery and Noah.

A visitation for Joe will be held on Sunday, August 5, 2018 from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Calvary Hill Funeral Home located at 3235 Lombardy Lane, Dallas, TX 75220.

Funeral Mass will be held on Monday, August 6, 2018 at 11:00 AM at St. Rita Catholic Church located at 12521 Inwood Road, Dallas, TX 75244.

Following services in Texas, Joe will be transported to E V Jutras & Sons Funeral Home in Amesbury, Massachusetts where additional services will be held.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made the Airborne Angel Cadets of Texas, P.O. Box 116691, Carrollton, TX 75011; https://www.airborneangelscadets.com.

Calvary Hill Funeral Home in Dallas, Texas has charge of arrangements.