OBIT: Joseph Rufino CORDEIRO, 96, expert in radio navigational aids and communications ... used in 27 airports worldwide
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Frederick Noronha
Jan 14, 2021, 5:16:59 AM1/14/21
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Obituary
Joseph Rufino CORDEIRO, passed away peacefully at the age of 96 at his family home in Bray, Berkshire on 5th January 2021. Rufino was born on 23rd April 1924 in Mombasa, Kenya, but went to school in Goa and Belgaum, whilst his mother concentrated on the design and completion of their family house in Muddavadi, Saligao.
His passion was always Science and Medicine, but since his mother wanted him to study Engineering, he eventually graduated with a BSc from Ferguson College in Physics and an MSc in Electronics from St Xavier’s College, Bombay.
His return to Goa was precipitated by his mother’s death in 1947 when he worked with COSME Mathias Menezes in Panaji, for whom he repaired electronic devices. His first professional role was in Gwalior where he was hired by the Holkar to run his private airport.
There he met his long-life friends Ruth and Francis Vaz who were proud to count him as a member of their family.
Meanwhile, his father, Francis Xavier Cordeiro, was keen that he relocate to Kenya where he believed his son would be able to find better prospects. As his father predicted, Rufino transitioned quickly into a prestigious and well-paid job with International Aeradio Ltd. (IAL) in Nairobi in 1952, and later was Head Consultant of the Directorate of Civil Aviation in Kenya.
He met his future wife Lira Carvalho soon after he arrived in Nairobi and they married after a seven-year single-minded courtship by him in 1959. Rufino and Lira had a 68-year relationship and each of them recognized the other as truly "the love of each other's life". In 1969, the young family moved to the UK for the sake of their three daughters' education.
Rufino continued to work for IAL in London for
another 10 years during which his expertise in
radio navigational aids and communication became
acknowledged worldwide. His design skills were
utilized around the world in 27 international
airports including Brunei, Mauritius, Singapore,
Sharjah, Abu Dhabi & Dubai. He continued to work
in similar roles for other international aeronautic
companies until he retired in 1989.
One of his proudest achievements was the invention
of a Digital Meteorological Measurement System for
the quantification of wind speed and direction
which was granted two patents in the UK in April
1983 and sold to three different end-users. Rufino
was thrilled that his three daughters all chose to
follow in his scientific footsteps.
He was a stalwart supporter of Saligao and dutifully visited his ancestral home there frequently. He was delighted to become President of the UK Saligao Association in 1977 and sponsor the Mae De Deus Feast in Saligao in May 1984. He played an active role locally at St Edwards Church and the Catenians.
Above all he was a family man -- caring first for his mother and father until their deaths and then for his sisters and their children whilst still a bachelor. His wide medical knowledge allowed him to advise his family and friends and participate in their care.
He has been a devoted husband to his loving wife Lira, and perfect father to his daughters Lucinda, Mary Anne, Francesca and son-in-law Raj and adoring grandfather to his grandchildren Sachin and Asha. Everyone who knows him considered him to be a gentleman of great integrity, strong faith and deep convictions. His bright smile, infectious laugh, kindness, warmth and love will be keenly missed by all who knew him.
A funeral mass will be held on Monday, January 18 at 10.00 a.m. at St Edwards RC Church in Windsor, with a private cremation ceremony thereafter
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
GoaTributes: Remembering those who went before us... and paying tributes to their contribution in life.
www.facebook.com/groups/goatributes/
Joseph Rufino CORDEIRO, passed away peacefully at the age of 96 at his family home in Bray, Berkshire on 5th January 2021. Rufino was born on 23rd April 1924 in Mombasa, Kenya, but went to school in Goa and Belgaum, whilst his mother concentrated on the design and completion of their family house in Muddavadi, Saligao.
His passion was always Science and Medicine, but since his mother wanted him to study Engineering, he eventually graduated with a BSc from Ferguson College in Physics and an MSc in Electronics from St Xavier’s College, Bombay.
His return to Goa was precipitated by his mother’s death in 1947 when he worked with COSME Mathias Menezes in Panaji, for whom he repaired electronic devices. His first professional role was in Gwalior where he was hired by the Holkar to run his private airport.
There he met his long-life friends Ruth and Francis Vaz who were proud to count him as a member of their family.
Meanwhile, his father, Francis Xavier Cordeiro, was keen that he relocate to Kenya where he believed his son would be able to find better prospects. As his father predicted, Rufino transitioned quickly into a prestigious and well-paid job with International Aeradio Ltd. (IAL) in Nairobi in 1952, and later was Head Consultant of the Directorate of Civil Aviation in Kenya.
He met his future wife Lira Carvalho soon after he arrived in Nairobi and they married after a seven-year single-minded courtship by him in 1959. Rufino and Lira had a 68-year relationship and each of them recognized the other as truly "the love of each other's life". In 1969, the young family moved to the UK for the sake of their three daughters' education.
Rufino continued to work for IAL in London for
another 10 years during which his expertise in
radio navigational aids and communication became
acknowledged worldwide. His design skills were
utilized around the world in 27 international
airports including Brunei, Mauritius, Singapore,
Sharjah, Abu Dhabi & Dubai. He continued to work
in similar roles for other international aeronautic
companies until he retired in 1989.
One of his proudest achievements was the invention
of a Digital Meteorological Measurement System for
the quantification of wind speed and direction
which was granted two patents in the UK in April
1983 and sold to three different end-users. Rufino
was thrilled that his three daughters all chose to
follow in his scientific footsteps.
He was a stalwart supporter of Saligao and dutifully visited his ancestral home there frequently. He was delighted to become President of the UK Saligao Association in 1977 and sponsor the Mae De Deus Feast in Saligao in May 1984. He played an active role locally at St Edwards Church and the Catenians.
Above all he was a family man -- caring first for his mother and father until their deaths and then for his sisters and their children whilst still a bachelor. His wide medical knowledge allowed him to advise his family and friends and participate in their care.
He has been a devoted husband to his loving wife Lira, and perfect father to his daughters Lucinda, Mary Anne, Francesca and son-in-law Raj and adoring grandfather to his grandchildren Sachin and Asha. Everyone who knows him considered him to be a gentleman of great integrity, strong faith and deep convictions. His bright smile, infectious laugh, kindness, warmth and love will be keenly missed by all who knew him.
A funeral mass will be held on Monday, January 18 at 10.00 a.m. at St Edwards RC Church in Windsor, with a private cremation ceremony thereafter
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
GoaTributes: Remembering those who went before us... and paying tributes to their contribution in life.
www.facebook.com/groups/goatributes/
- "When all you have is a hammer, everything starts to look like a nail" - Abraham Maslow
- "A login and an account aren't the same thing. A login is just a key, and your account may very well have several doors." - Anonymous, In Regards to OAuth2
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