Terry Andrew Canha

Terry Andrew Canha, 72, of Oak Bluffs, passed away unexpectedly on Dec. 19, 2025, at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.

Terry was born on the Vineyard on April 21, 1953, to Antone and Yvette Canha. A graduate of Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, he remained rooted in the Island community most of his life, with brief periods spent living in other areas of Massachusetts.

Terry dedicated the majority of his career to carpentry, and worked alongside various Island carpenters. His craftsmanship could also be seen in the kitchens he installed and the furniture he built. He took pride in working as a shipbuilder at the General Dynamics Quincy Shipyard for several years. In the later years of his career, he brought his knowledge to the local lumberyard and hardware store before eventually retiring.

Outside work, Terry found joy in the simple pleasures of life. He enjoyed fishing, was a fan of the Boston Bruins, and loved food. He was a talented cook who enjoyed feeding others, and had most recently boasted about his decades-long record of making Thanksgiving dinner. He frequently joked about the chore of tending his garden, but kept at it faithfully for his wife, Maria. Terry was known for his hospitality, generously welcoming visitors to the Vineyard over the years, from friends who came for the annual Chili Fest to his daughter’s friends enjoying the Island in the summer, to distant relatives visiting. He also enjoyed vacationing in Brazil many times with Maria, enjoying the culture and history of her large family there.

Terry is lovingly remembered by his wife, Maria Do Carmo Oggioni-Canha; his children, Lauren Cooley (Jason) and Eliza Canha; and his grandchildren, Chase, Max, Julian, and Eben. He also leaves behind his siblings, Laurene Canha and Jeffrey Canha, as well as four nieces and nephews.

A graveside ceremony in his honor will be held at noon on April 11, 2026, at the Oak Grove Cemetery in Vineyard Haven, where he will be laid to rest among close family and friends.

Visit chapmanfuneral.com for online guestbook and information.