MAGNOLIA: Robert E. Silva, 77, of Englewood Road, died Wednesday afternoon in the Brigham & Women’s Hospital following an extended illness. He was the husband of Barbara F. (Lane) Silva.
Born in Gloucester on December 31, 1930, he was the son of the late Frances R. Silva. He was a graduate of the Gloucester High School class of 1948, where he was a Lieutenant in the Reserve Officer's Training Corps. He was also a graduate of Northeastern University in 1961.
A U.S. Navy veteran of the Korean War, he served as a machinist and was honorably discharged in February of 1955.
Following his high school graduation, he worked at the United Shoe Machinery Corporation in Beverly until his induction into the U.S. Navy.
Bob was employed by GTE Sylvania for thirty-five years. He began as a draftsperson and ultimately worked his way up to lighting design sales manager. This position afforded him the opportunity to travel throughout the world, which he thoroughly enjoyed.
He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Sylvania Management Club, and was a former chairman of the Sylvania Scholarship Committee. Bob was also a former vice-president of the Magnolia Beach Corporation.
In addition to his wife of fifty-three years, he is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Mark and Terry (Conners) Silva, Cheryl Silva, Pamela Silva, three grandchildren, Robert Douglas Silva, Mark Silva, and Katie Silva, his sister, Barbara Sawler, four uncles, Lawrence, John R., Ralph A. and Richard Silva, two nieces, Kathleen Vitagliano and Sandra Sawler, grandnieces, Sara Vitagliano and Marisa Pistenmaa and numerous cousins.
His funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday morning in the Holy Family Parish, St. Ann Church at 11 a.m. Visiting hours will be held on Sunday in the Pike-Grondin Funeral Home, 61 Middle Street, Gloucester from 4 – 7 p.m. Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made in his memory to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 44 Binney St., Boston, MA 02115 or the North Shore P.R.N. c/o Addison Gilbert Hospital, 298 Washington St., Gloucester.