David A. Leitao, 82, of Brockton, formerly of New Bedford and Providence, died Sunday March 10, 2002 at West Acres Nursing Home in Brockton. He was the son of the late Antonio F. and Maria G. (Pereira) Leitao.
Born in New Bedford and raised in Saõ Vincente, Cape Verde, he then lived in Providence, RI, and New Bedford for most of his life.
He was a former communicant of Our Lady of the Assumption Church in New Bedford.
Mr. Leitao was formerly employed as a chief cook with Exxon, and was later employed by the Woods Hole, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket Steamship Authority until his retirement.
Mr. Leitao served in the U.S. Army during World War II with the 614th Tank Destroyer Battalion, participating in the Campaigns of the Rhineland, the Ardennes and Central Europe. He was a recipient of the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater Campaign ribbon, the American Theater Campaign ribbon, the Good Conduct medal and the World War II Victory medal.
He was a member of the 9-18 Golf Club and the Merchant Mariners Club in New Bedford, and a member of the 5-0 Club and the Cape Verdean Progressive Club in Providence.
Survivors include 2 sons, David A. Leitao, Jr., of Tolland, Conn., and Dawood Yaseen of Nantucket; 5 daughters, Marie Mitchell of Long Beach, Cal., Kathleen Leitao-Fernandez of Randolph, Susan Leitao of Braintree, Dianne Pina of Easton and Cheryl Jones of Cheltenham, Penn.; 2 stepsisters; 10 grandchildren; and 3 great-grandchildren.
His Funeral will be held on Thursday March 14, 2002 at 9 AM from the Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park St., New Bedford, followed by His Funeral Mass at 10 AM in Our Lady of the Assumption Church, South Sixth Street, New Bedford. Burial will follow in Rural Cemetery, New Bedford. Visting hours will be on Wednesday March 13, 2002 from 2-4 and 7-9 PM.