VASCO
Former Deputy Speaker and two-term Congress MLA Simon D'Souza (83) expired at GMC hospital on Wednesday.
According to the mortality bulletin, D'Souza passed away in the wee hours of Wednesday. He was 81 and was suffering from hypertension and Ischemic Heart Disease. The immediate cause of his demise has been listed as Acute Coronary Syndrome.
D'Souza was a senior Congress legislator who had won elections for two consecutive terms, Dabolim constituency (1984) and Vasco constituency (1989). He had also served as the Deputy Speaker of Goa.
Family sources told 'The Goan' that D'Souza, who hailed from Vasco and had been later residing in Sancoale, was admitted to GMC after he developed pneumonia.
"He was admitted at GMC hospital and was undergoing treatment for around 12 days when he expired early Wednesday morning. The last rites are likely to be conducted at St Andrew’s Church in Vasco on Thursday," said the source.
D'Souza was born in Bangalore on October 28, 1938, and completed his SSLC (Poona Board) and further pursued an Electronics and Computers course at Bombay to be a computer engineer.
D'Souza was married to Felecity D'Souza and they have four daughters and a son.
Besides being a politician, D'Souza also had a showroom dealing with electronics appliances in Vasco along the FL Gomes Road. After having lived in Lotus Apartments for a long time, the D'Souza family shifted to Sancoale a few years ago.
D'Souza had headed several social and cultural associations and was also known to be the founder member of Carnival and Shigmo festival parades in Vasco and was the Chairman of All Goa Toddy Tappers Association.
D'Souza had served as a councillor of Mormugao Municipal Council from 1976-80 and went on to become MLA from Dabolim constituency in 1984, when Goa Daman and Diu was a union territory, and later got re-elected as MLA from Vasco constituency in 1989, when Goa was a full-fledged state.
D’Souza was elected as deputy speaker of the Legislative Assembly from January to April 1990 and was re-elected deputy speaker on March 27, 1991.
D’Souza had a special interest in music and was fond of games like hockey, football and table tennis.
When contacted, the eldest daughter, Cheryl D'Souza Rodrigues, who is based in Manhattan-USA, said her father was a die-hard Goan and had always worked for the betterment of the people all his life.
"My dad will be remembered for the many good deeds he performed his entire life for the people of Goa. He loved Goa and was a die-hard Goan. He had this amazing energy for doing good for people of Goa and encouraged me to do the same.”
“He was a loving dad and a caring husband. We will cherish all the wonderful memories of our Dad. We will miss our Dad. We plan to celebrate our Dad's life," said Rodrigues.
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Goa has lost a tall leader: NCP
VASCO:
Mourning the demise of former deputy speaker and two-term MLA Simon D'Souza, NCP State President Jose Philip D'Souza said Goa had lost a tall leader who was popularly known as ‘Simple Simon’ for his sheer simplicity and down-to-earth behaviour.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, D’Souza said: “He was a gentleman and a senior member of Congress. His was a simple person and would reach out to anyone who needed his help and because of this, he was popularly known as ‘Simple Simon’.”
“Besides being a politician, he was actively involved in religious activities and a lot of his work was seen at St Andrew’s Church Vasco. He was an active participant in the senior citizen’s group of St Andrew’s Church.”
“He used to help a lot of senior citizens and he was involved in various cultural and religious programmes of St Andrew’s Church. I pray that his soul rests in peace and that God grants his family the strength to bear the loss of this man with a golden heart," said D’Souza.
