Obituary: Anselmo “Sam” deFreitas Guimaraes, 88, of Naugatuck

NAUGATUCK, CT - (From Alderson-Ford Funeral Home) Anselmo “Sam” deFreitas Guimaraes, 88, passed peacefully at home into the Lord’s Glory on Saturday, September 26, 2020 following a long illness of heart disease.

He leaves behind his wife, the love of his life, Virginia of 64 years of marriage. Besides his wife, Anselmo leaves his children, Virginia DiGrazia and her late husband Salvatore; Lisa Sigetti and her husband Daniel; Paul Guimaraes and his wife Kelley along with six grandchildren Christopher Sigetti and his wife Katie, Jennifer Cody and her husband Michael, Thomas DiGrazia, Kathryn Sobray and her husband Ryan, Daniel Sigetti, and Julia Guimaraes; along with four great grandchildren Tristan, Meckenzie, Edith, Josephine.

He is also survived by his sister-in-law Lucilia Titley and her husband John as well as several nieces and nephews. Anselmo was born in Portugal and became a carpenter’s apprentice at the young age of 12 eventually becoming a master cabinetmaker. He was the last surviving member of his generation predeceased by his parents and 9 siblings.

In his late teens, he moved to Venezuela with his older brothers to work for a large building construction crew building the BF Goodrich plant. Following completion, he moved back to Portugal and married his childhood sweatheart Virginia, immigrating to the US and settling in Naugatuck.

During his early years in the US, Anselmo built houses before he opened his successful business, Sam’s Cabinet Shop remodeling many homes in Naugatuck from the 1960’s to 1980’s. He finished his career working as the factory carpenter at Risdon Corporation for the Naugatuck CT, Middletown NY and Laconia NH plants.

Anselmo was a founding member of Our Lady of Fatima Church in Waterbury and a parishioner of Saint Francis of Assisi Church in Naugatuck. He was a member of the Club Uniao Portuguesa, a former member of the Elks Lodge, and a former member of Naugatuck Fish and Game. His hobbies included golfing, trap shooting, and hunting.

During his retirement, he spent his summers in Chatham Cape Cod enjoying the cool breezes and serenity that one can only find on the Outer Cape. He always was busy and is well known in his family for his clever ways of building something with items on hand.

The Family has entrusted Alderson-Ford Funeral Home for arrangements and calling hours are private. A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Wednesday, September 30, at St. Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic Church.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Saint Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105. For online condolences, to share a photo or a story, please visit www.fordfh.com.