Rev. Robert Couto, 68, of Londonderry, NH, was called to his rest and to the glory of the Resurrection promised by the Lord, Wednesday December 10, 2014 in his home in Londonderry. He was born in New Bedford, MA on June 30, 1946, a son of the late Manuel and M. Gilda (Duarte de Mello) Couto. He had been a resident of Londonderry for the past 15 years, formerly living in Manchester, NH and New Bedford.
Prior to attending seminary, Fr. Bob worked at Texas Instruments in Attleboro, MA. He also worked as a broadcast journalist for a New Bedford, MA station, where he interviewed Rep. Hastings Keith and subsequently became his assistant, working in the congressional district, and in Washington DC. He later moved to Nashua, NH where he became a manager for Karten Jewelers. His experience with technology was then used at Ferrofluidics in Nashua where he became Vice President for Operations and Administration, ultimately working to make the company a publically traded entity on Wall Street. Called to a different kind of life, Fr. Bob discerned and applied to study to become a Roman Catholic priest and was assigned by the Diocese of Manchester to St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore, MD. While in Baltimore, he earned a Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology from the Holy See and a Master’s degree in Divinity. He worked as an intern and Deacon at Saint Joseph Parish, Cockeysville, MD. Fr. Bob also did special studies in medical ethics and health care ethics, publishing papers on the care of the sick and the dying.
He was ordained a priest on June 1, 1996 by the Most Reverend Leo E. O’Neil, S.T.D., at Saint Joseph Cathedral in Manchester. Fr. Couto studied at Leslie College and the Northeast Institute of Indiana Tech and completed his ecclesiastical studies at Saint Mary Seminary & University in Baltimore, MD. Fr. Couto served as associate pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in Nashua; Sainte Marie and Sacred Heart Parishes in Manchester. Fr. Couto was appointed pastor of Saint Jude Parish in Londonderry in 1999 where he served until his death.
Fr. Bob is the brother of Marlene Russell and her husband Michael of Brockton, MA; the uncle of Monica Russell of New York City, NY, Melissa Herschman and her partner Jason Meeker of N. Easton, MA, and Michele Harrington and her husband Ryan of N. Easton, MA; as well as the great uncle of Morgan, Jake and Emma Harrington, and Max and Tess Herschman.
Visitation for Reverend Couto will be held Wednesday morning in the funeral home from 10:00 A.M. – 12:30 P.M. Burial will follow in St. John Cemetery. Arrangements placed in care of Perry Funeral Home, 111 Dartmouth Street in New Bedford, MA. For Online condolences visit www.perryfuneral.com
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Father Robert Couto Memorial Fund c/o St. Jude Parish.