Mr. Jose Pacheco Ferreira

Obituary

Ferreira, Jose Pacheco (Joe) passed away at 8:07 am Sunday, September 21, 2025 at 93 years of age. He is survived by his beloved wife Natalia, children Marie and Albert and devoted sister Maria (Fatima). He was preceded in death by his dear sisters Maria Jose, Celina, brothers Antonio and Humberto. He is loved and cherished by his grandchildren Charlene, Thomas, Jacquelyn, Deborah, and his 12 nephews and nieces Tony, Anna, Nelia, Carlos, Mike, Nelson, Ricardo, Agostinho, Christine, Michelle, David, Bruno and their families.

Jose was born on November 9, 1931 in the town of Rabo de Peixe located on the north side of São Miguel Island in the Azores archipelago, a Portuguese territory in the Atlantic Ocean.

He left the natural beauty of the municipality of Ribeira Grande in 1956, with only $20 in his pocket, to emigrate to Canada. Jose settled in Toronto where he made Canada his new home during Ontario’s railway network expansion. He worked laying tracks during Ontario’s railway track upgrade where he and other railway workers added over 235 miles of track from 1957. He and other workers also added miles of secondary tracks to existing routes. Jose felt privileged to play a part in improving the flow of train traffic in Canada – his way of giving back to his new country. When a rail fell on his leg and injured him, Jose stayed in Toronto and continued to work as a Shipper/Receiver.

Jose was instrumental in sponsoring many family members to Toronto. He offered his home to family that were emigrating to Canada until he was sure they could make it on their own.

Jose loved to stay informed and to challenge himself through puzzles or conversations. He could always be seen solving his next crossword puzzle or sudoku. He strove to stay up-to-date with current events and the world around him. Jose was a passionate fan of the Toronto Blue Jays and Toronto Maple Leafs, always keen to talk about the latest player news or team statistics.

Jose enjoyed the company of his family and friends the most. His cheerful conversation and attitude will be missed. His laugh and smile will forever be embedded in our hearts.

Donations in memory of Jose can be made to either the Alzheimer's Society of Canada or the charity of your choice.

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