Ernest Cordeiro, 82, died peacefully Sunday, May 28, 2017, at Marlborough Health & Rehabilitation Center in Marlborough, Connecticut. He was a resident of East Hampton, Connecticut for 42 years.

He was born June 15, 1934 in Bristol, RI to John and Mary (Feliz) Cordeiro, who immigrated to Bristol, RI from Sao Miguel, Azores, Portugal in the early 1900’s and was one of eight children.

Ernie graduated from the former Colt Memorial High School in Bristol, Rhode Island in 1951. Mr. Cordeiro served in the Army right out of high school, first at Fort Dix, New Jersey, then in Reykjavik, Iceland and was a Veteran of the Korean War. He was an expert marksman, and taught marksmanship to new recruits.

After a few year courtship, he married Cecelia May Price from Warren, Rhode Island, on August 16, 1958 and they started a family which would eventually grow to four children.

He played upright bass in a jazz band in his early twenties, performed all around Rhode Island and the New England area, and was a huge fan of jazz throughout his life.  Stan Getz, Mel Torme, Tommy Dorsey and Sarah Vaughn were always playing on his beloved Fisher stereo at home. He most admired Frank Sinatra, and owned almost every recording he ever made. When a Sinatra song came on he would always say, “that’s Frank”.

During his professional years, Ernie was a credit manager for W.T. Grant, moving around to many different locations where new retail stores were opened. When receiving a promotion from Grants to their corporate office in Glastonbury, CT, the Cordeiro’s bought their first house together on Quiet Woods Road in East Hampton.  They would spend the next 42 years there together. Ernie was also employed locally by Royal Typewriter/Konica Business Machines, and finally at Moore Medical in New Britain. He made friends everywhere he worked and was always the office comedian ready to tell a joke, a funny story or carry on with pride about his kids.

When first moving to East Hampton, Connecticut, Ernie served on the Board of Finance and was always involved in the East Hampton Little League where he coached and umpired for many years.

Ernie was an avid fan of the Boston Red Sox, New England Patriots. Mr. Cordeiro loved his Sunday New York Times and its crossword puzzle.  An avid reader, he loved the East Hampton Public Library and would make many trips per week for new books.

Above all, Ernie Cordeiro was a Dad and Grandpa to his kids and grandchildren.  When his kids were of school-age, he attended every practice and was in the bleachers for every game and in the audience for every concert or performance.  And when his kids were grown and had kids of their own, he loved visiting with his grandchildren, watching them play and making them laugh.

Mr. Cordeiro is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Cecelia, their children, Derrie Ann Cordeiro, Steven Cordeiro and his wife Camille Cordeiro, Thom Cordeiro and his wife Kimberly Jones Cordeiro, and Grant Cordeiro; his brother, Raymond and his wife Ory Lima of Bristol, Rhode Island, his grandchildren Andrew, Ryan, Samantha, Eric, Sydney and Richie, Jenna, Mason and Lily, great-grandchildren Emily and Adelynn, and numerous nieces and nephews.He was predeceased by 4 brothers, John, Arthur, Richard and Robert and his sister Evelyn. 

The family would like to thank the doctors, nurses and staff at East Hampton Family Practice, Middlesex Hospital Hospice & Palliative Care and Marlborough Health & Rehabilitation Center for their care.

Friends may call at the Spencer Funeral Home 112 Main St. East Hampton on Monday evening June 5th from 6PM until 8PM. Funeral services will be held Tuesday June 6th at 11:00AM in the funeral home, burial will follow in Lake View Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the East Hampton Public Library, 105 Main Street, East Hampton, CT 06424. To leave online condolences please visit www.spencerfuneralhomeinc.com.

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