Armand Silva

Armand Joseph Silva, 91, of San Francisco, California, formerly of Silver City, NM and Saunderstown, RI, passed away peacefully April 1st. A renowned ocean engineer, researcher and professor, Armand held many interests, was devoted to family and friends, and led a vibrant, adventuresome, engaged and fulfilled life. Born in 1931 in Waterbury, Connecticut of Portuguese immigrants, he grew up in humble but content conditions. As an adult, he settled in several New England locations in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island until retirement, when he and his wife Karen Stern relocated to Silver City and then San Francisco. He developed life-long friends everywhere he lived.

Armand believed passionately in the value of education, was the first in his family to attend college, and went on to earn MS and PhD degrees in civil/geotechnical engineering from the University of Connecticut. He had a long, successful career in civil and ocean engineering, contributing significantly to the fields during a period of emerging geologic theories such as plate tectonics, and was involved in mapping the ocean floor. As a professor and department chair at both Worcester Polytechnic Institute and University of Rhode Island, he was advisor to more than 40 graduate students. In his oceanographic research expeditions, he collaborated with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Sandia National Laboratories, Scripps Oceanographic Institute, Office of Naval Research, and National Science Foundation. He established the world renowned Marine Geomechanics Laboratory at URI, and authored many publications.

Extensive travels took him around the world for both work and pleasure, throughout the Americas, Europe, China, India, Australia, and Kenya. Constantly challenging himself physically, he played squash and tennis, enjoyed both downhill and cross-country skiing, was an avid sailor, climbed Mount Rainier, gardened, and hiked multiple times per week into his late-80s. Many good times were had sailing the New England coast with friends, and racing his BuckyJ in the Saunderstown Yacht Club weekly races. Ever the hands-on engineer, he loved to build things such as furniture, a wood-working shop, elaborate swings and a suspended tree house for his granddaughters. In retirement, Armand further explored his creative side by taking up painting, producing many unique abstracts and expressive portraitures. Always unique and unapologetic, he relished sharing his views on religion, politics, the environment, educational trends, arts and culture with anyone who was game.

Above all else though, Armand cherished his family, both immediate and extended, and would do anything he could to help them in times of need. Every summer, he hosted a huge gathering at his home to bring family together from across the country for good food and camaraderie. He especially loved getting together with his four daughters and their families.

Armand is survived by his wife Karen Stern; children Robin Silva-Wilkinson (John), Diane Barrett (Paul), Rebecca, and Anna Fitch (Banker White); grandchildren Jesse Wilkinson, Jakob Barrett, Dylan and Oscar White; ex-wife Linda (Saari) Colby; and many extended family members and close friends. He was pre-deceased by his parents, Jose M.C. Silva and Guelhermina (Almeida), stepmother Cacilda (Coelho), brother Charles, sister Priscilla Loffredo, first wife Joan (Glynn), granddaughter Lauren Wilkinson, and many beloved extended family members and close friends.

A celebration of Armand's life will be planned for a later date. The family requests that memorial donations be directed to protecting the world's oceans at Oceana (www.oceana.org).