John Dias

FALL RIVER - John Dias, also known as Joao, 97, of Fall River, a retired entrepreneur and insurance broker, died Thursday, May 25th at St. Anne's Hospital. He was the husband of Maria Jose (Raposo) Dias.
Born in Feteiras do Sul, Ponta Delgada, St. Michael, Azores, he was a son of the late Joao Dias de Medeiros and Francisca da Conceicao Dias. At an early age, John showed entrepreneurial skills as a merchant in the Azores. His business was temporarily interrupted while he served in the Portuguese military, where he was honorably discharged after serving full term. John's dream of becoming a business person took him to Caracas, Venezuela where he immigrated at the age of 30. In Venezuela he successfully operated several businesses to include restaurants and a mini mall. While running these enterprises, John became the first Portuguese individual to become an insurance broker in Venezuela and the eighth person overall to become licensed in the country, License #0008.
John was a great devotee of Our Lady of Fatima. He brought the first statue of Our Lady to Caracas where today it's still being venerated at the church of San Antonio de Padua in Macaracuay, Caracas. Upon retirement at the age of 65, John settled in Fall River. Here he was involved with various Portuguese associations, serving as president of the Associaçé�o Académica of Fall River, and St. Anthony Band of Fall River. He volunteered for several years at the annual feast of Santo Christo Church.
Besides his wife of 73 years, he is survived by three daughters, Maria Isabel Fraga Brum of Palmela, Portugal, Joana Mateus and her husband Nelson of Fall River and Maria "Fatima" Primo and her husband Robert of Fall River; a son, Joao M. Dias and his wife Maria Fernanda of Fall River; a sister, Margarida Vasconcelos of Mississauga, Canada; a brother, Manuel Dias Medeiros of Fall River; 12 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. He was the brother of the late Isabel Dias and Jose Dias Medeiros, the father-in-law of the late Antonio Jose Fraga Brum and grandfather of the late Filipe Dias who passed away as an infant.
His funeral will be held Tuesday, May 30th at 8 a.m. from the Oliveira Funeral Home, 215 Columbia Street, Fall River, followed by a Funeral Mass at 9 a.m. in Santo Christo Church, Columbia Street, Fall River. Interment in St. Patrick Cemetery, Robeson Street, Fall River. Calling hours Monday 5-8 p.m. www.oliveirafuneralhomes.com