Joaquim Samuel Da Silva Ribeiro

Joaquim "Joe" Samuel da Silva Ribeiro, 88, of Worcester, MA, passed away at home on April 20, 2025, after a long struggle with Alzheimer's disease.
He will be deeply missed by his beloved wife of 42 years, Sarah (Poe) Cederbaum Ribeiro; his daughter Janice Ribeiro of Saco, ME; his son Jay Ribeiro and his wife Jennifer of Nobleboro, ME., and his three stepchildren: Lori Cederbaum Roche and her husband Seamus of South Deerfield, MA; Adam Cederbaum and his wife Karen Kwok of Boston; and Lisa Cederbaum of Sacramento, CA. Joe was a proud grandfather to seven grandchildren: Julia, David, Aidan, Lila, Sam, Andrew, and Alex. Joe was predeceased by his sister Dr. Violeta E. Ribeiro in 2024.
Joe and Sarah shared a full and adventurous life together. They raised their blended family on a small farm in Jefferson, MA, where Joe found joy in working the land, clearing woodland trails, tending his tractors, and splitting firewood. He was an avid sailor and skilled navigator, having crewed several Bermuda races. Together, he and Sarah sailed their motorsailer from Florida to Maine, spending summers exploring the New England coast. In the early 2000s, they purchased an Airstream and spent a decade traveling across the U.S., Canada, and northern Mexico. Joe possessed a love for land, sea, and air and was an accomplished private pilot.
Born in Porto, Portugal, Joe was the son of Rev. Dr. Antonio P. Ribeiro and Fernanda da S. Ribeiro. At age 12, political pressures under the Portuguese dictatorship forced the family to leave Lisbon and relocate to Angola. Joe was educated there until he was sent to the United States to attend Northfield Mount Hermon School in Northfield, MA. Though originally planning to attend the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland, Joe was captivated by the warmth and optimism of Americans and decided to stay. He went on to earn a BSME in Aeromechanical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, '54, an MBA from Clark University, and completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.
Joe began his professional career immediately after graduation with the startup Jamesbury Corporation. In '58, he received secret clearance for technical work on nuclear submarines. Joe
eventually served as its CFO. After Jamesbury was sold, his career took an adventurous turn. He served as CFO of Infocom, a division of Activision and later as CFO of WPI, Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Until retirement, Joe worked as a financial consultant to a variety of organizations including boarding schools, the Episcopal Diocese, a law firm, and health care institutions.
A dedicated community leader, Joe served in many roles throughout the Worcester area, including: Trustee, Medical Center of Central Massachusetts, EcoTarium, United Way of Central Massachusetts; Trustee/Treasurer, UMass Memorial Medical Center; Director, R.H. White Construction Company, Inc., Materials Research Laboratory, Kadent Inc., Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts, Visiting Nurses Association of Eastern Massachusetts, Bank of America, Multibank Financial Corporation, and Mechanics Bank.
Joe will be remembered for his integrity, loyalty, sharp mind, and quirky sense of humor. A lifelong learner, fluent in multiple languages, and a connoisseur of Port, Joe had a deep love for his family. He strived to instill in his children the confidence to believe they could do anything - no matter what it might be.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 7, 2025, at the Chapel at Rural Cemetery, 180 Grove Street, Worcester, MA.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the scholarship fund at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609.
Arrangements are under the care of Athy Memorial Home, 111 Lancaster Street, Worcester.