Mr. José Araujo

Obituary

It is with great sadness we announce the sudden and unexpected passing of José Rodrigues Araujo who was for a short time, in the care of Toronto Western Hospital. 

After 68 years of marriage and creating a life in Toronto, he leaves behind his wife Maria, two sons, Antonio and Manuel, a daughter-in-law, Catherine, and four grandchildren, Anna, Eric, Monica and Rebecca. 

Born in 1933 in Portugal’s greenest region, Minho, with panoramic views of the mountains and farmland, he learned the healthy but arduous labour of farm life, then brought those strengths and work ethics with him as a young man when he immigrated to Toronto, Canada. 

He first tried his hand at Canadian farm life but soon decided this was not the new way of life he had envisioned for himself.  He then made the brave move to downtown Toronto. After settling in Toronto, he fetched Maria from Portugal and made her his wife.  Together they started a marriage that would last 68 years and produce two sons. 

In addition to the legacy of leaving behind two grown sons and four grandchildren, he left his mark on the very city he chose to call home.  Working in construction he used his hands, strength and tenacity to contribute to the growth of a city that would boast the tallest freestanding structure in the world; oh, and he helped build that too! He was one of the 1537 construction workers that teamed up to create the CN Tower.  He also pitched in with the development of the world's first retractable roof stadium; featuring 52,000 seats, and providing home to the future world series champions ‘The Toronto Bluejays’; The Skydome.

He left his mark on this city many times over, but to his family he was just Joe, Pai and Avô.  

During those early years he made the additional effort to surround himself with colleagues that spoke English but not Portuguese. He did this to accelerate learning the English language.  Several of those colleagues were Scottish, and featured in stories he’d recite in the future with his daughter in law from Scotland. 

His backyard was a “little taste of Portugal’ producing local organic delights such as concord grapes, beans, parsley, pears and many varieties of tomatoes. He made red wine that was so good it’s reputation was known and talked about in other parts of the world. 

A man of few words, but one that made it a priority to provide for his family. Even once his sons were grown, he was always available to help them as needed or as requested, and always without ‘conditions’ or them having to bend over backwards to ask. 

Together with Maria, he opened his home to relatives who also chose to immigrate to Canada from Portugal.  Each time assisting them in the early days helping them get settled, and giving them a much easier introduction to life in Toronto than he himself had. 

We will miss him forever.  

He left his mark on the mountains of Minho, the Skyline of Toronto and in the hearts of his family and friends. 

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