HOMAGE
Joseph Edward Charles Vas
October 13, 1923 - December 18, 2012
Aged : 89
Joe Vas was born on October 13, 1923 in Udupi, India to Julian Alfred Francis Vas and Alice Vas. He married Hazel Mathias at Milagres Catholic Church in Mangalore, India on February 2, 1956.
He had a great passion for agriculture, farm life and the outdoors. He started his life managing his family coffee plantation at the early age of 16, and with time owned his own coffee estate. He retired after over 40 years of tough rugged, but fulfilling years of life in the mountainous coffee growing areas of Southern India.
He had five children, two of whom are in India, one in the Middle East and two in the United States. He came to the United States around 18 years ago, acquired his citizenship and settled there. He enjoyed the many friends he made and enjoyed a very comfortable retired life. He spent a spiritual life of prayer, in addition he remained active till the end with his love for gardening, cooking and entertaining friends along with his wife of 57 years. He remained very thoughtful and considerate to his near and dear ones who lived far away in India and elsewhere by trying to communicate with them often, and with some, even every day – with the help of his laptop and Skype.
He is survived by his wife Hazel Vas, daughter Maureen Sequeira, son Joe (Yul) Vas, daughter Karen Aranha, son Allan Vas, daughter Elaine Sequeira, three sons-in-law - Philip Sequeira, Joe Aranha & Christopher Sequeira, two granddaughters - Nimalka Sequeira and Priyanka Aranha and five grandsons - Ranjit Sequeira, Siddharth Sequeira, Nikhil Sequeira, Dhyan Aranha and Yohann Sequeira.
Joe Vas passed away peacefully at the Coventry Hospital in Lubbock, Texas USA on 18th December. The funeral took place on Friday 21 December 2012 in the midst of his near family members and friends at the Lake Ridge Chapel & Memorial in Lubbock, Texas, followed by a memorial service that also took place onSaturday 22 December 2012 at St Elizabeth’s Church Chapel. He will be greatly missed by his immediate as well as his extended family and friends. He is also survived by his sister Iris-Peter, brother Harold ( Harry ) Vas and sister Mavis Vas.