Frank C. "Chico" Monteiro, 93, of New Bedford died Thursday September 2, 2010 at Brigham and Women's Hospital after a brief illness. He was the husband of the late Pauline J. (Almeida) Monteiro.
Born in New Bedford, the son of the late Francisco S. and Ignacia (Soares) Monteiro, he had lived in New Bedford for all of his life.
He was a parishioner of Our Lady of the Assumption Church.
Mr. Monteiro was formerly employed as a foreman at Morse Cutting Tools for 30 years until his retirement.
Mr. Monteiro was a well-known musician in this area, having played with the Duke Oliver Band, the Al Lopes Band, and the Cape Verdean Ultramarine Marching Band. He had been the leader of the Skyliners Orchestra. He was a Past President of the American Federation of Musicians Local 214.
He had been a Past President of the Cape Verdean Action Committee, Past Vice President of the Cape Verdean Ultramarine Band Club, former New Bedford Airport Commissioner, and former Vice Chairman of the New Bedford Senior Advisory Board.
During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army with the 173rd Army Ground Forces Band.
He was honored this past summer as the Grand Marshall of the 2010 Cape Verdean Recognition Parade.
Survivors include his nieces and nephews, Gail Duarte, Muriel Fortes and her husband Alan, Antone Monteiro Jr., Carole Monteiro, Eleanor Pontes, Toni Almeida and her husband Sonny, and Trudy Encarnacao and her husband John; his godchildren, Marilyn Gonsalves, Darren Rodericks, and Cookie Rosario; and several other nieces and nephews and many friends.
He was the brother of the late Antone S. Monteiro, Pedro H. Monteiro, and Isadore P. "Zeta" Monteiro, and uncle and godfather of the late Raymond Almeida.
His Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday at 9 AM in Our Lady of the Assumption Church. Burial will follow in St. John's Cemetery. Visiting hours will be on Monday from 3- 6 PM at the Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park St., New Bedford. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the Cape Verdean Recognition Scholarship Committee, P.O. Box 3084, New Bedford, MA 02741. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.