Jose P. "Djedje" Gomes, 80, of New Bedford died August 26, 2007 at St. Luke's Hospital after a long illness.
He was the husband of Dorothy S. (Silva) Gomes with whom he shared 52 years of marriage.
Born in Brava, Cape Verde as an American Citizen, the son of the late Pedro M. Gomes and Maria M. (Gomes) Gomes, he had lived in New Bedford since 1947.
He was a parishioner of Our Lady of the Assumption Church.
Mr. Gomes was formerly employed as a merchant seaman for Exxon Mobil Corporation until being inducted into the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He later was a presser foreman in the needle industry with the International Ladies Garment Workers Union.
Mr. Gomes was a member of the Disabled American Veterans Dr. C.E. Burt Chapter 7 and American Legion Post 1.
Cape Verdean music was the soul of his being and he enjoyed having Cape Verdean musicians play at his home.
Survivors include his wife; 2 daughters, Cynthia Gomes and Elayne Gomes-Battle, and her husband David, all of Sterling, VA; 2 brothers, his twin brother Marcelino Gomes, and his wife Zuca, of Dartmouth and John Gomes, and his wife Eugenia, of Acushnet; 4 sisters, Clara DaSilva, and her husband Henry, of New Bedford, Alice Barros, and her husband Eddie, of Dartmouth, Laura Bala, and her husband Mario, of Acushnet and Eugenia Correia of Dorchester; 2 grandchildren, Alyssa Battle and Adrianna Battle; and many nieces, nephews, godchildren, cousins and in-laws.
Funeral from the Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park St., New Bedford Saturday, September 1st at 8 AM. Funeral Mass at Our Lady of the Assumption Church at 9 AM. Burial will follow in St. John's Cemetery. Visiting hours Friday, August 31st from 2-4 and 7-9 PM.