Sarah Sally Silveira
August 2, 1932 — October 9, 2008
Sarah (Sally) Silveira, a leading voice for decades in local education, civil rights and the development of affordable housing, died October 9, 2008 in Stamford, CT at the age of 76. Her death was the result of complications arising from a decade-long battle with a chronic pulmonary disorder.
Mrs. Silveiras civic involvement began when she joined the PTA at the former Riverbank Elementary School, where she ultimately served as its President. Mrs. Silveira was also active for many years in Local and State Democratic Politics. In 1973, Mrs. Silveira was elected to the Stamford Board of Education; where she would go on to serve three terms, including one as its President. She also served on the Stamford Democratic Committee for a number of years.
Mrs. Silveira volunteered her time as a member, director and Executive Director of New Neighborhoods Incorporated (NNI), a low income housing advocacy group that played a major role in the development of Section 8, scattered-site housing developments in Stamford. She was actively involved in the efforts to replace the Southfield Village Apartment Complex and to provide in its stead more dignified scattered housing. In recognition of her knowledge and of her commitment to these issues she was appointed to the Planning Board, and afterwards was elected to the Stamford Housing Commission, where she served for nine years.
Sarah Ann Lord Silveira was born on August 2, 1932 in Brookline, MA, she then moved with her parents, Mary Burke Lord and James Grosvenor Lord, to Allentown, PA, where she lived until she was 13. She was always a proud New Englander (and Red Sox fan) and her family ultimately returned to Massachusetts, where she graduated at age 16 from Newtown High School in 1949. Admitted to Radcliffe College (Harvard) at age 17, she was awarded an A.B. in Economics in 1953.
Mrs. Silveira was married ten days after graduation to Henry (Hank) Silveira, a fellow Harvard graduate, and while residing in Somerville, MA, gave birth to their first child, Mark in 1954. In the years following, the family moved frequently in conjunction to with her husbands career as an IBM Executive; first to Endwell, NY, where her son, Garrett (Gary), was born in 1959; then to Manchester, NH, where in 1962 her son, Stephen, was born; and finally to Stamford, CT, where her son, David, was born in 1964, and where the family resided, in the same �"temporary house she and her husband bought in 1962, for the remainder of her life.
A devout Roman Catholic, she was a member of St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Riverside, CT for many years. She was an avid tennis player until well into her 60s, and she and her husband traveled extensively around the United States and to various European destinations, including Italy, France, Great Britain, Ireland and Portugal. For most of her life, Mrs. Silveira spent a portion of each summer at Cape Cod visiting college friends and her extended family.
In addition to her husband of 55 years and four sons, Mrs. Silveira is survived by four grandsons and five granddaughters.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Richard Rosenthal Hospice Residence, 100 Shelburne Road, Stamford, CT, 06904; New Neighborhoods, Inc. of Stamford, CT or the Catholic Relief Fund.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Catherine of Siena Parish, 4 Riverside Avenue, Riverside, CT, on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 at 11:00 AM. A wake will be held at the Church prior to the Mass from 9:45 to 10:45 AM. Funeral arrangements are being handled by the Nicholas F. Cognetta Funeral Home & Crematory, 104 Myrtle Avenue, Stamford. www.cognetta.com
Mrs. Silveiras civic involvement began when she joined the PTA at the former Riverbank Elementary School, where she ultimately served as its President. Mrs. Silveira was also active for many years in Local and State Democratic Politics. In 1973, Mrs. Silveira was elected to the Stamford Board of Education; where she would go on to serve three terms, including one as its President. She also served on the Stamford Democratic Committee for a number of years.
Mrs. Silveira volunteered her time as a member, director and Executive Director of New Neighborhoods Incorporated (NNI), a low income housing advocacy group that played a major role in the development of Section 8, scattered-site housing developments in Stamford. She was actively involved in the efforts to replace the Southfield Village Apartment Complex and to provide in its stead more dignified scattered housing. In recognition of her knowledge and of her commitment to these issues she was appointed to the Planning Board, and afterwards was elected to the Stamford Housing Commission, where she served for nine years.
Sarah Ann Lord Silveira was born on August 2, 1932 in Brookline, MA, she then moved with her parents, Mary Burke Lord and James Grosvenor Lord, to Allentown, PA, where she lived until she was 13. She was always a proud New Englander (and Red Sox fan) and her family ultimately returned to Massachusetts, where she graduated at age 16 from Newtown High School in 1949. Admitted to Radcliffe College (Harvard) at age 17, she was awarded an A.B. in Economics in 1953.
Mrs. Silveira was married ten days after graduation to Henry (Hank) Silveira, a fellow Harvard graduate, and while residing in Somerville, MA, gave birth to their first child, Mark in 1954. In the years following, the family moved frequently in conjunction to with her husbands career as an IBM Executive; first to Endwell, NY, where her son, Garrett (Gary), was born in 1959; then to Manchester, NH, where in 1962 her son, Stephen, was born; and finally to Stamford, CT, where her son, David, was born in 1964, and where the family resided, in the same �"temporary house she and her husband bought in 1962, for the remainder of her life.
A devout Roman Catholic, she was a member of St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Riverside, CT for many years. She was an avid tennis player until well into her 60s, and she and her husband traveled extensively around the United States and to various European destinations, including Italy, France, Great Britain, Ireland and Portugal. For most of her life, Mrs. Silveira spent a portion of each summer at Cape Cod visiting college friends and her extended family.
In addition to her husband of 55 years and four sons, Mrs. Silveira is survived by four grandsons and five granddaughters.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Richard Rosenthal Hospice Residence, 100 Shelburne Road, Stamford, CT, 06904; New Neighborhoods, Inc. of Stamford, CT or the Catholic Relief Fund.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Catherine of Siena Parish, 4 Riverside Avenue, Riverside, CT, on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 at 11:00 AM. A wake will be held at the Church prior to the Mass from 9:45 to 10:45 AM. Funeral arrangements are being handled by the Nicholas F. Cognetta Funeral Home & Crematory, 104 Myrtle Avenue, Stamford. www.cognetta.com
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