WAKEFIELD — This town coursed through John Encarnacao’s veins. The 76-year-old civic leader and elected official, who died early Friday, Oct. 31, at the Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers, loved the community he lived in his whole life and devoted untold hours overseeing the operation of its public schools and then, as a selectman, its municipal government.
If ever there was a public servant, John Encarnacao fit the bill.
“We are all saddened by the passing of John,” said Town Administrator Stephen P. Maio, who has known Encarnacao his whole life. “He cared deeply about Wakefield and made great personal sacrifices to improve the town he loved so much. He constantly looked to the future and how we could leave Wakefield a better place for our children and grandchildren. He will be missed.”
Fred Rich LaRiccia, ardent Democratic activist, writes in today’s paper that Encarnacao won a place in his heart almost 50 years ago.
“My earliest memory of John was of him comforting my Mom and Dad after the loss of my brother, Peter, in 1968 when he was killed in Vietnam. John had a special bond with service members, veterans and Gold Star family members.
“My Mom was a public school teacher and I can remember her telling me why I had to vote for John when he served on the School Committee.
“But I didn’t really get to know John, the man, until I managed his last campaign for Selectman. We spent long hours talking about his love for Wakefield. He was a very caring public servant and had a wonderful sense of humor. He made me laugh a lot and those are the memories I will cherish most,” Rich writes.
Born in Wakefield on June 24, 1938, he was the son of the late Julio O. and Olivia (Souza) Encarnacao.
John was raised in Wakefield and was a graduate of Wakefield High School, Class of 1956. He later attended Northeastern University and UMass Boston. He was a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.
John was a member of the Massachusetts National Guard from 1959 to February 1995 when he had retired as a Colonel. He held several key, state-level managerial and supervisory positions that included Administrative and Personnel Officer, Operations and Training Officer, Mobilization (Emergency Preparedness) Officer, Operations and Military Support Officer, Command Logistics Officer and State Maintenance Manager.
His awards included the U.S. Army Legion of Merit, Army Meritorious Service medal and the Massachusetts Medal of Merit.
As an involved, very active member of the Wakefield community, John was a 21-year member of the Wakefield School Committee and had also served as a member of the Wakefield Board of Selectmen for a combined 17 years.
He was elected to the town’s Recreation Commission back in 1961, in the days before members were appointed by the selectmen. In 1970, John was elected to the School Committee in what was the first of seven three-year terms. His fellow committee members elected him chairman of the committee six times.
He was a member of the School Committee during the tenure of three superintendents of schools. Always fiscally-conscious, John played an instrumental role in the establishment of cost saving measures and innovative programs such as long range planning, educational collaboration with other communities and cooperative purchasing with other departments and neighboring communities.
In an April 1999 statement he wrote as reelection to a second term as selectman neared, John said, “As we approach the new century our town will be deciding many important and complex issues regarding education, capital improvement projects, development, land use and re-use, conservation, open space, revitalization of the downtown business area, parking, traffic, safety and budgetary limitations, to name some of the most challenging. …
“Deciding the best courses of action regarding these issues will require detailed review, analysis and full consideration of the intended and unintended results possible decisions will have on the quality of life in our community,” Encarnacao said. “I believe that I possess the necessary leadership, knowledge, skill, ability, experience and background to play a leadership role in working with other elected and appointed officials and volunteers to ensure every decision is truly in the best interest of the town and all its citizens.”
And he practiced what he preached.
At the time of his death, John was a member of the Permanent Building Committee. He was also a member and past president of the Crystal Community Club.
John was the beloved husband of Gertrude M. “Trudy” (Almeida) Encarnacao. He was the loving father of John A. Encarnacao and his wife Tracy of Merrimack, N.H., Anthony J. Encarnacao of Boston, Kristina Patt and her husband Daniel of Illinois, Andrea Martin and her husband Rashaun of East Boston, and Nicole Bartels and husband Brandon of Maryland. He was the brother of Charles Encarnacao of North Reading and Robert, Mary Ann and Elizabeth Encarnacao all of Wakefield. He is also survived by his eight grandchildren.He was the brother-in-law of Toni Almeida of New Bedford and the late Raymond Almeida. He was preceded in death by his brothers Anthony “Tony” Montrond, Julio, Manuel, Arthur and Richard Encarnacao and his sisters Ann Custodio and Mea De Cruz.
A visitation for relatives and friends will be held at the McDonald Funeral Home, 19 Yale Ave., Wakefield on Tuesday from 3 to 8 p.m. His funeral will be held from the funeral home on Wednesday at 9 a.m., followed by a funeral Mass in St. Florence Church, 47 Butler Ave., Wakefield at 10 o’clock. Interment will be at Forest Glade Cemetery in Wakefield.
