Wareham, MA — Antone (Tony) Semedo, Jr., passed away just as he wished—in his sleep—on the morning of September 14, 2022, just two days after turning 99. His wife, Dorothy (Roderick) Semedo of Falmouth, was at his side.

Tony was born in 1923 to Antonio (Cabral) Semedo and Guilhermina (Lopes) Semedo, both from the Cape Verde Islands. He is predeceased by his parents, his brothers Kenneth and John Semedo, his granddaughter, Racheal Semedo, and his niece, Ruth Ann Semedo-Gomes.

Tony was born in Wareham and spent most of his life on County Road in the home that he and Dorothy purchased. It was just down the road from the home his father built—the one in which he was raised.

He was educated in Wareham Public Schools until he was drafted into the Army in 1943, where he served for three years in World War II. He attended boot camp at Camp Myles Standish in Taunton and was then deployed to Great Britain and ultimately to France, where he was among the soldiers on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day, December 6, 1944. He was honored in 2013 for his service in the war by the Cape Verdean American Veterans.

After returning from the war, Tony worked at Taunton State Hospital, Ocean Spray, and St. Luke’s Hospital, and worked a variety of jobs before joining Wareham Public Schools as a custodian. He worked at several schools in the system, including Decas Elementary, Wareham Intermediate, East Wareham Elementary Schools, and ultimately retired as head custodian of Minot Forest Elementary School in 1988. He also returned to the school system as a student to earn his GED in 1978.

Tony was a man of many talents. He enjoyed hitting golf balls and attending Wareham sports events with his brother Kenny. He taught himself to play the piano, organ, and accordion. And he could fix just about anything. He also loved engaging in discussions, sometimes heated, about umpire calls, current events, and politics.

He was a man of deep faith who put God at the center of his life. He served as a Sunday school teacher, deacon, pianist and organist for many years at the Hebron Gospel Tabernacle in Oakdale. His home church in his later years was the Tabernacle of Praise in Wareham, where he also was a pianist.

For the past six years, Tony has lived in the tender care of family in Fall River, MA. He will be missed beyond words by his 11 children: Tony (Stacie Neslon), Maxine (Thomas) Teixeira, David (Suzanne), Debbie Teixeira, Mark, Karen, John (Kimberly), Amy (Richard) White, Kim, Carolyn (Reed) Semedo-Strauss, Melissa (Ken) Rosario; along with his 18 grandchildren; five great grandchildren; sister-in-law, Henrietta, nieces, Susan, Maryanne Durant, Phyllis Robinson, and Cheryl Williams; and many grandnieces and grandnephews.

Relatives and friends are invited to visit on Tuesday, September 20, 2022 at Chapman Funerals & Cremations – Wareham, 2599 Cranberry Hwy. (Rt. 28), Wareham from 10 to 11 AM. A funeral service will follow at 11 AM. Burial to follow at Center Cemetery, Wareham.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Tony’s memory can be made to the Ruth Ann Gomes-Semedo Scholarship Fund c/o Rockland Trust, 2420 Cranberry Hwy, Wareham, MA 02571.

For directions or to leave a message of condolence visit: www.chapmanfuneral.com