William F. Silvia
December 27, 1933 — January 22, 2014
William F. Silvia
80, of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, and summer resident of Wakefield, RI passed away on Wednesday, January 22, 2014 at South Bay Manor in South Kingstown. He was the beloved husband for 58 years of Pauline (Senecal) Silvia. Born in East Providence, he was the son of the late Frank P. and Mildred (Lisbon) Silvia.
He graduated from Aldrich High School, Class of 1951 lettering and being Captain of the football and baseball teams. He received his B. S. degree in Civil Engineering from URI and his M.B.A. from SUNY Buffalo. He was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity and was an Officer in US Army Corps of Engineers. As a corporate executive of Union Carbide Corp., he rose to President of their Catalysts and Services Div. and also managed businesses for them in Toronto, Ont. Canada and Geneva, Switzerland. He was CEO for Batts, Inc, Grand Rapids, MI. Active in many philanthropies, he served on the Advisory Council of the College of Engineering at URI and was on the Board of the International Engineering Program, endowing the Spanish Program. In the year 2000, he was inaugurated into the URI College of Engineering Hall of Fame. He and his wife were founding members of ABC, Darien (A Better Chance) and host parents. He served on the Bd. of Darien Community Homes. He was an English teacher at the Hogar del Nino and a member of Adopt-a-Crib program in La Romana, Domonican Republic, where he had a home for 23 years. He was posted to Dzelina, Slovakia for a term with the IESC, International Executive Service Corp. These endeavors always focusing on young people, education and community needs.
He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, St. Anthony Council #1129.
An international traveler he visited 59 countries and was a sports enthusiast, ardent golfer and an avid New York Yankee fan. His #1 interest that gave him the most pleasure was time spent with family. Nothing energized him more than being with his children and their spouses and grandchildren.
Besides his wife, he was the devoted father of Dr. William J. Silvia and his wife Pamela of Versailles, KY, Michelle J. Silvia of Hull MA, Dr. Stephen J. Silvia and his wife, Dr. Jennifer Paxton of Bethesda, MD, Suzanne Mancini and her husband Gregory of Wickford, RI, Thomas Silvia and his wife Shannon Chandley of Amherst, NH and Judithe Romero of Atlanta, GA; loving grandfather of Alexander Silvia; Amanda and Rebecca Barnett; Christopher, Sean and Peter Silvia; Quentin, Giuliana and Griffin Mancini; James, Isaiah, Elizabeth and Eamon Silvia-Chandley; Mary Alexandra, William and Isabelle Romero; and dear brother of Patricia Myers, TX, Jeanne Whetstine, Seattle, WA. Robert Silvia, Narragansett, RI and the late Edward Silvia.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial on Tuesday, January 28, 2014 at 10 a.m. in Christ the King Church, 180 Old North Rd., Kingston. Burial will be private and visiting hours are respectfully omitted.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: URI Foundation, P.O. Box 1700, Kingston, RI 02881 (with a note in the memo line of the check : William F. and Pauline T. Silvia Endowment)
He graduated from Aldrich High School, Class of 1951 lettering and being Captain of the football and baseball teams. He received his B. S. degree in Civil Engineering from URI and his M.B.A. from SUNY Buffalo. He was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity and was an Officer in US Army Corps of Engineers. As a corporate executive of Union Carbide Corp., he rose to President of their Catalysts and Services Div. and also managed businesses for them in Toronto, Ont. Canada and Geneva, Switzerland. He was CEO for Batts, Inc, Grand Rapids, MI. Active in many philanthropies, he served on the Advisory Council of the College of Engineering at URI and was on the Board of the International Engineering Program, endowing the Spanish Program. In the year 2000, he was inaugurated into the URI College of Engineering Hall of Fame. He and his wife were founding members of ABC, Darien (A Better Chance) and host parents. He served on the Bd. of Darien Community Homes. He was an English teacher at the Hogar del Nino and a member of Adopt-a-Crib program in La Romana, Domonican Republic, where he had a home for 23 years. He was posted to Dzelina, Slovakia for a term with the IESC, International Executive Service Corp. These endeavors always focusing on young people, education and community needs.
He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, St. Anthony Council #1129.
An international traveler he visited 59 countries and was a sports enthusiast, ardent golfer and an avid New York Yankee fan. His #1 interest that gave him the most pleasure was time spent with family. Nothing energized him more than being with his children and their spouses and grandchildren.
Besides his wife, he was the devoted father of Dr. William J. Silvia and his wife Pamela of Versailles, KY, Michelle J. Silvia of Hull MA, Dr. Stephen J. Silvia and his wife, Dr. Jennifer Paxton of Bethesda, MD, Suzanne Mancini and her husband Gregory of Wickford, RI, Thomas Silvia and his wife Shannon Chandley of Amherst, NH and Judithe Romero of Atlanta, GA; loving grandfather of Alexander Silvia; Amanda and Rebecca Barnett; Christopher, Sean and Peter Silvia; Quentin, Giuliana and Griffin Mancini; James, Isaiah, Elizabeth and Eamon Silvia-Chandley; Mary Alexandra, William and Isabelle Romero; and dear brother of Patricia Myers, TX, Jeanne Whetstine, Seattle, WA. Robert Silvia, Narragansett, RI and the late Edward Silvia.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial on Tuesday, January 28, 2014 at 10 a.m. in Christ the King Church, 180 Old North Rd., Kingston. Burial will be private and visiting hours are respectfully omitted.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: URI Foundation, P.O. Box 1700, Kingston, RI 02881 (with a note in the memo line of the check : William F. and Pauline T. Silvia Endowment)
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