Frank C. Santos, Jr., a well-known Certified Public Accountant, of Dartmouth, MA and North Port, FL died at St. Luke’s Hospital on June 18, 2010.
Born in New Bedford in 1929 to the late Frank C. and Mary (Ventura) Santos, he was educated in the New Bedford school system. He graduated from Becker Junior College and Boston University. During the Korean War, he served in the U.S. Army Finance Corps and was stationed in Japan.
Mr. Santos was the founder of Santos & Santos, P.C. Certified Public Accountants and Business Consultants. He began his practice in accounting in 1954 and was enrolled to practice before the IRS since 1959.
Mr. Santos was elected president of the National Society of Public Accountants at the 40th Anniversary Annual Convention in Honolulu, Hawaii. An active NSPA member since 1956, Mr. Santos served the Society in many capacities. Prior to his election as president, he completed terms as first vice president (1984-85), second vice president (1983-84) and for four years served as governor of District I.
He had served on many major NSPA committees, including Federal Taxation, State Legislation, Education and Professional Development, and Accountants on State Accountancy Boards. He also served on and chaired the State Regulation and Oversight Committee and chaired the State Directors Annual Orientation Conference and Bank Relations committees. He testified in front of Congress on various accounting laws after meeting the Director of the Internal Revenue Service. During his term as president of NSPA, he presented Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa with the man of the year award.
Active in his state societies, Mr. Santos served two terms as president of the Massachusetts Association of Public Accountants and two terms as president of the New England States Association of Public Accountants. He was selected to serve on the Massachusetts Board of Accountancy, which handles the professional licensure of the Massachusetts Certified Public Accountants. He was instrumental in passing an equivalency accounting bill, as well as enabling Massachusetts Public Accountants to be grandfathered and licensed as Certified Public Accountants. He was involved in setting up many programs in order for Certified Public Accountants to perform required continuing education in order to maintain their license as a Certified Public Accountant.
He had served on the Board of Directors of the Luzo Community Bank, Southeastern Bank and Trust, Fleet Bank, and Bank of Boston.
Mr. Santos will be remembered as a true professional to his practice, his profession, and his clients.
He is survived by his beloved Lillian, his lifelong partner and soul mate of forty-four years; his three children Kevin C. Santos and Koreen A. Santos, both of Dartmouth, and Keith C. Santos of Florida; his grandson, Benjamin Preece-Santos of Mattapoisett; his sister Rita Ferreira and her husband Norman of Dartmouth; and several nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
He was preceded by his brothers, the late Manuel C. Santos and the late Virgil C. Santos.
His Funeral Mass and celebration of his life will be held at St. Mary’s Church in South Dartmouth, on Wednesday at 10 AM. Burial with military honors will follow in South Dartmouth Cemetery. Calling hours have been omitted. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made in his memory to the Frank C. Santos, Jr., Scholarship Fund at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, ATTN: Advancement Office, 285 Old Westport Road, North Dartmouth, MA 02747. Arrangements are by the Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park St., New Bedford. For online condolence book, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.