Antonio James Cordeiro Jr.

Oct. 25, 1934 - Sept. 26, 2010

Father Cordeiro was born Antonio James Cordeiro, Jr., in San Leandro, Calif., on Oct. 25, 1934.

His parents, Antonio and Olga Cordeiro, who immigrated to the United States from the Azores, pre-deceased him.

He has one sibling, his beloved sister, Marie (Max) Schwarz; two nephews, Paul (Gail) Schwarz and Richard (Diane) Schwarz and their children. In addition, there are several close-as-siblings cousins, Margaret Schwarz, Maria (Jim) Goggin and their children, who called him Uncle Tony.

He received his elementary education at Saint Mary's in San Leandro and his secondary education at Saint Mary College High School in Berkeley. For two years, he studied at the University of San Francisco, then entered The Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools (Christian Brothers) and graduated from Saint Mary's College (Moraga) with honors. Father Cordeiro entered the Order of Preachers (Dominicans) and received the holy habit on Sept. 8, 1960 and, given St. Gilbert as his religious name, made his profession vows on Sept. 9, 1961. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 16, 1967.

Father Cordeiro loved all aspects of education and spent a good part of his Dominican life as a teacher, supervisor and superintendent. However, education was not his only forte. He excelled in finances and served as the Procurator (treasurer) for the Western Dominican Province for two Provincial administrations, assisted by his good friend, Mrs. Fran Mullen.

Having never been assigned as a parish priest, he was appointed pastor of Holy Rosary Parish in Portland, Ore., from 1997 to 2000, where he served this unique parish exceptionally well before he returned to the San Francisco Bay Area.

During the last 10 years of his life, he served again as Procurator for the Western Dominican Province (Oakland), Superior of Siena House

(Oakland), Assistant Director of the Saint Jude Shrine (San Francisco), semi-retirement at

St. Dominic Church (Benicia), where he assisted in the parish, and during his last illness took up residence at Siena House where he was fraternally cared for by his Dominican confreres until his death on Sunday morning, Sept. 26, 2010. He was 75.

Throughout his life, he enjoyed sharing the experience of traveling with his family, fellow Dominicans and friends. He will be greatly missed by all those whose lives he touched with love and compassion.

Funeral services will be held for the Rev. Anthony Gilbert Cordeiro at Saint Dominic Catholic Church, Benicia, Calif. The Rosary will be at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 30, and the Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 1. Burial at Saint Dominic Cemetery will follow the Funeral Mass.

Donations in honor of Fr. Anthony Cordeiro, O.P., for the education of the Dominican student brothers, may be made by following this link: http://opwest.org/development/. Follow the donate buttons, and indicate Cordeiro Burse in the comments section.

Requiescat in pace - May he rest in peace.

Arrangements are under the direction of Passalacqua Funeral Chapel, Benicia,

(707) 745-3130.