Joseph N. DeFreitas

Joseph N. DeFreitas
of E. Chelmsford, Polaroid Corp. retiree; 79

E. CHELMSFORD -- Joseph N. DeFreitas, 79, passed away peacefully on July 10th, 2014, at his home in E . Chelmsford in the company of his siblings, following a long and courageous battle with cancer.

He was the beloved husband of

42 years to the late Mary DeFreitas, who passed away in 2006.

Joseph was the 2nd child born on January 19, 1935 in Funchal, Madeira Island, Portugal to the late Maria Conceição Nunes DeFreitas and Jose DeFreitas. He was a Portuguese veteran who fought in the Portuguese Army as a 1st Corporal in India from 1956 to 1959. In Madeira, he worked as a welder until he moved to the United States in 1964.

From 1964 to 1976, he made his home with his wife in the Grove Section of Lowell before residing in East Chelmsford for the past 38 years.

Joe worked at the Cleghorn Box Co. and Educator Biscuit Co., before landing at the Polaroid Corporation where for nearly 27 years, Joseph worked as a crew chief until his retirement in 1995.

Joseph was an avid and tenacious farmer; his passion was working on his farm where he spent most of his time tending to his crops and animals, and making wine. He was a communicant of St. Anthony Church, a member of the Portuguese American Civic League, the "Reds" Club, participating in their processions throughout the years, and was also a member of the Holy Ghost Society.

Above all, he was a devoted husband, uncle, and brother who loved spending time with his family who meant the world to him as they equally adored him and he always looked forward to his yearly trip back home to Madeira. Throughout his life, his generosity towards both family and friends was admirable.

He is survived and will be dearly missed by his brother, Antonio De Freitas and his wife, Nazare of Ontario, Canada; and his sisters, Virginia (Maria da Cruz) Milewski and her husband, Peter of Lowell, MA; Maria Fernanda Duarte of Chelmsford, MA; and Maria Amalia de Freitas and her husband, Fernando of Ontario, Canada. Also, Joseph is survived and deeply missed by many godchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins in the US, Canada, Madeira and elsewhere; as well as his large extended family and many friends.

He was predeceased by his wife, Mary M. DeFreitas; brother, Raymond (Raimundo) De Freitas and brothers-in-law, Edward D., Gonzalo J. and Joseph J. Duarte.

DE FREITAS -- YOU ARE INVITED TO HIS CALLING HOURS ON TUESDAY, JULY 15, FROM

4 UNTIL 8 P.M., AT THE MCDONOUGH FUNERAL HOME, 14 HIGHLAND STREET, LOWELL, 978-458-6816. HIS FUNERAL MASS WILL BE OFFERED AT ST. ANTHONY'S CHURCH, 893 CENTRAL ST., LOWELL AT A LATER DATE, WHICH WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN A LATER EDITION OF THE LOWELL SUN. BURIAL WILL BE HELD AT ST. PATRICK'S CEMETERY. E-CONDOLENCE SITE WWW.MCDONOUGHFUNERALHOME.COM