Elmer Howard Silva of Vineyard Haven passed away peacefully on Sept. 14, 2025, at the remarkable age of 102. A humble, kind, and gentle man, he will be deeply missed by his family.
Elmer was born at home on July 22, 1923, to Joseph and Virginia Silva at T Lane Farm in Chilmark. Elmer attended the Menemsha School, and graduated from the Tisbury High School in 1941, when it was both a grammar and high school.
Elmer’s father passed away in 1935, when he was 11 years old. Early on, Elmer helped on weekends delivering milk, and later also milking the cows, and by selling muskrat pelts from his trapping, and blueberries The dairy farm shut down around 1946. Elmer then went on to learn carpentry, and got a job working for Joe Leonard, building houses in Vineyard Haven.
He later got a job at Reinforced Plastic, located at the airport. After six years, his doctor told him he had to quit for health reasons. He then worked for Herbert Hancock doing construction jobs, mostly up-Island. After Herbert retired, Elmer and Paul Mayhew continued with the carpentry work. Elmer’s skilled handiwork was and is all over Chilmark and Aquinnah.
In 1953, Elmer married the love of his life, Beverly Rhoda Smith. They went on to have two children, Elmer Howard Silva Jr. and Rhoda Jean Silva. They celebrated their 72nd wedding anniversary on April 18.
Elmer was a skilled woodworker, crafting intricately inlaid wood cribbage boards coveted by many. He also created whimsical boat and duck cribbage boards. He enjoyed building whirligigs, wood bird sculptures, giving them as gifts to his family. For many years Elmer played guitar with numerous musicians at square dances. The bands performed at the then Gay Head Town Hall, the Chilmark Tavern, and the Grange Hall. Some of those he played with were Ernest Correllus, Gale Huntington, Elmer Athearn, Leonard Athearn, Hollis Smith, Everett Whiting, Billy Grieder, and Bill Silva, He also performed in a bluegrass band with the Correllus family. These events were hugely popular on the Island. Elmer was also a prolific jigsaw puzzler.
Elmer was predeceased by his parents, Joseph and Virginia Silva; his sister, Clara Silva Rabbitt, and brothers, Walter Silva and Robert Silva; and by his in-laws, Alec and Gladys Smith. He is survived by his son, Elmer H. Silva Jr., and his wife, Ann (Jones); and his daughter, Rhoda Jean Silva Schwab, and her husband David; five grandchildren, Heidi Schwab, Catharine Rochwarg and her husband Matt, Amanda Schwab-Doyon and her husband Ryan, Allison Fitzsimons and her husband John, and Jason Schwab and his wife Jaime (Billings); 10 great-grandchildren, Brady Vought, Colby Vought, George Schwab-Doyon, Lincoln Rochwarg, Mika Schwab, Layla Schwab-Doyon, Reese Schwab, Calla Rochwarg, John Paul Fitzsimons, and Ari Schwab.
A graveside service was held at the Oak Grove Cemetery in Vineyard Haven on Sept. 20. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Elmer’s name to an organization that supports Island farms or music programs.