Joseph I. Ponte Jr.

Dartmouth. Joseph I. Ponte Jr., age 84, went home to the Lord on Friday, March 2, 2012 at the Sacred Heart Home, surrounded by his loving family. Mr. Ponte was Bernice (Silva) Ponte’s beloved husband for 62 years. He was the devoted father of Joseph and wife Janice, Rosemary E. Wilde and her late husband William of Dartmouth and Bernice Jensen and husband Wayne of Warren Rhode Island.
He was a loving grandfather of Annemarie Santos and her husband Ryan of Dartmouth, William J. Wilde and his wife Regina of Watertown, Michael J. Wilde of San Diego, Jennifer Rose Ponte, Matthew Jensen of Seekonk and Scott Jensen and his wife Diane of Riverside, Rhode Island. Mr. Ponte was the proud and affectionate great-grandfather of Charles and Christian Santos, Skyla, Shane and Kara Jensen. Mr. Ponte the son of the late Mary (Farias) and Jose I. Ponte was born in New Bedford and lived locally in New Bedford and Dartmouth. He was a former Manager for N.B.I.S. and the Acushnet Cooperative Banks. He was a professional musician for sixty years who played and taught the accordion, piano and trombone privately and in the Westport Schools. He was the leader of the popular Joe Ponte’s Orchestra. He was a member of the orchestra which provided the first live Portuguese radio show broadcast in New Bedford. He was also a member of the New Bedford Symphony, Regional Symphonic, City, German and Dartmouth Community Bands and a long time member of the American Federation of Musicians. Throughout his career as a musician he provided music for many functions, such as bar mitzvahs, weddings, funerals, parades, Portuguese feasts, and entertained at nursing homes, senior centers, schools and for several governors and senators.
Mr. Ponte was actively involved in The Charismatic Renewal, traveling to Europe several times in support of spreading the good news of Jesus. He was President of The Greater New Bedford Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International for many years. He served his parish, St. Mary’s Church as a CCD Teacher, Lector, Eucharistic minister and was a member of the Saint Vincent de Paul Society.
Mr. Ponte attended New Bedford Vocational High School and graduated from the New Bedford High School Evening Extension Program and went on to take banking courses at Brown University.
Mr. Ponte was a U.S. Army Veteran of World War II. He also played in the Army Band including playing for General MacArthur.
Mr. Ponte always believed that “Each day is a gift from God!”
Mr. Ponte’s funeral will be Wednesday at 8:15 A.M. at Perry Funeral Home, 111 Dartmouth St., with a Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated at St. Mary’s Church, Padanaram at 9:30 A.M. Interment will follow at South Dartmouth Cemetery. Visiting hours are Tuesday from 4-8 P.M. Relatives and friends are invited.