Obituary

+Pereira, Neves Francisco Das Dores From: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thestar/obituary-browse.aspx? Neves Francisco Das Dores Pereira August 5, 1926 -- February 27, 2009 Passed away peacefully with his family at his side at York Central Hospital after a long and brave struggle without complaints and an unfailingly positive attitude. Loving husband of Urmilla, proud father of Neville, Jon, Suresh and Louella, beloved grandfather to Evan, Madeleine, Jesse and Jasmine, kind son-in-law to Susan (deceased), brother to Zulema (deceased), brother-in-law to Xavier, and uncle to Jocelyn. Neves was born in Nairobi, Kenya. Orphaned at the age of six, Neves was raised by Father Godinho in Goa, India. Over the course of thirteen years of university education, Neves earned undergraduate degrees from the University of Bombay, London University, and at the age of 44, Masters and PhD in Physics from the University of Toronto. Using his intellect and passion for learning Neves pulled himself up from humble and impoverished beginnings. An accomplished, self-taught musician, Neves played several instruments including the oboe, classical guitar and violin. A high point among his musical accomplishments was conducting the Mombasa Choral Society. A lifelong educator, Neves was the Principal of the Dr. Ribeiro Goan School in Nairobi, and after moving to Canada in 1965, headed the Physics department for many years at Agincourt CI where he helped develop curriculum including the first Astronomy courses. Neves ended his teaching career as the Education Director at the Ontario Science Centre, leading the gifted science student program. Neves raised his three sons with love and kindness while also passing on his dedication, drive and determination. He was knowledgeable on many topics yet also a humble man. The family dinner table was home to many wonderful discussions his sons took guidance from. For those lessons and countless other gifts including the generosity, kindness and welcome extended to all our friends, who knew his house was always open to them, we will always be grateful. Viewing: Wednesday, March 4, 2009 2-4, 7-9 p.m., Highland Funeral Home, 10 Cachet Woods Court, Markham, (404/16th Ave). Funeral Service: 11:00 a.m. Thursday, March 5, 2009, Our Lady Queen of the World, 10411 Bayview Ave., Richmond Hill (N. of Major Mackenzie), with interment to follow, and reception at 1:00 p.m. at Highland Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family would gratefully appreciate donations to Saint Catherine's Orphanage, Mumbai (c/o Urmilla Pereira at Highland Funeral Home). Neves helped bring his beloved granddaughter from this home.

+ Father Matthew Almeidaa Goans mourn death of Jesuit Konkani scholar http://www.ucanews.com/2009/02/20/goans-mourn-death-of-jesuit-konkani-scholar February 20, 2009 PANAJI, India (UCAN) -- Hundreds of people, including Hindus, attended the funeral of a Jesuit priest who promoted Konkani, the official language of the western Indian state of Goa. Father Matthew Almeida died on Feb. 18, 10 days after a fall that injured his spine and abdomen. He was 73. Archbishop Felipe Neri Ferrao of Goa and Daman led the funeral services on Feb. 19 at the Holy Cross Church in Porvorim, near the state capital of Panaji. Spokesperson of Goa and Daman archdiocese, Father Francis Caldeira, termed Father Almeida's death as a loss to the Konkani movement. "Through his works, Father Almeida popularized Konkani not only in Goa but also overseas," he said. A press statement from the archbishop's house on Feb. 19 described Father Almeida as a Konkani movement stalwart whose expertise greatly contributed to the development and promotion of the mother tongue of Goans. Tomazinho Cardozo, former speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly, said the state lost "a doyen of Konkani." He noted the deceased priest spearheaded a movement to popularize the state's official language. Some Hindus at the funeral also commended the Jesuit priest's contribution to the language, generally associated with Goa's Catholics. Some groups had tried to promote Marathi, the language of neighboring Maharashtra state, among Goa's Hindus. Shilpa Salvi, a Hindu researcher of the Konkani language, said Father Almeida was "a dedicated researcher." Netra Veluskar, another Hindu, said the Jesuit priest was her guide for master's degree and had instilled confidence in her. Father Almeida wrote 13 books and co-founded the Thomas Stephen's Konkani Kendr (center), or TSKK, a Jesuit institute to promote the language. Originally set up to teach Konkani to Jesuit seminarians, it later took in other students. For the past one year, Father Almeida had been working on an English-Konkani dictionary. His works include two best-selling books, "A description of Konkani," published in 1989, and "Konkani Course in Roman Script" in 2007. TSKK director Father Pratap Naik said scholars from around the world are now trying to get hold of the first book, while common people are interested in the second one, to help them learn the language. Konkani Researcher Fr Mathew Almeida Passes Away Wednesday, February 18, 2009 11:05:27 PM (IST) Daijiworld Media Network – Panaji http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=56996 Panaji, Feb 18: Fr Mathew Almeida, S J, a veteran Konkani researcher, writer and founder of Thomas Stephens Konknni Kendr died on Wednesday, 18 February 2009 after a brief illness in JMJ, Hospital at Alto Porvorim. He was born on 29th September 1935 at Kundapur in Karnataka. He joined the Society of Jesus on 12 July 1952 and was ordained as a priest on 24th March 1965.  He had done his M A in Karnataka University, Dharwad and M Ed at Bombay University with first class first. He further finished his M S at Georgetown University in Washington DC and completed his Ph D in Linguistics from the same University. He served as a teacher at St Vincent High School, Pune and St Britto High School, Mapuca. He further served as a Rector at St Britto and St Paul’s Belgaum.  He was the Principal of St Paul’s High School and Junior College, Belgaum. He was the Principal and Rector of Loyola High School, Margao and St Britto High school, Mapuca.  He was the Principal and Rector of Loyola High School, Margao and St Britto High school, Mapuca. He was the Superior of Loyola Hall, Miramar. He was the founding member and Director of Thomas Stephens Konknni Kendr from 1985 to 2002. He acted as the Province Consultor as well as the Editor of the TSKK Research Bulletin Sod and ‘Dor Mhoineachi Rotti’. He has 13 books to his credit which include Research books, transliterated work and he was the co-author of many books. His works ‘A Description of Konkani’ and ‘Romi Lipient Konknni Kors’ are his greatest contribution to Konkani language and literature. His Research articles are published in Konkani Vixvkox, Bulletin of Institute Menezes Braganza, in ‘Jesuits in India: In historical perspective’ of the Series Jesuits in Asia, Indica, Sod, Indian Linguistics, Encyclopedia of Jesuit Biography, Sunaparant, Herald and Encyclopedia of Linguistics. In the year 2008 he received the prestigious Goa Konkani Academy’s Sahitya Pradnya. Konknni world has lost a competent and dedicated researcher.