Vigil services for Frank A. Silva, 86, of Lompoc, will be 5 p.m. Monday, January 8, 2007 at the chapel of Starbuck-Lind Mortuary. A funeral mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Queen of Angels Catholic Church with Msgr. John Fitzgerald officiating. Burial will follow at Lompoc Evergreen Cemetery.

A native of Lompoc Frank was born December 1, 1920 to Manuel and Maria Oliveira Silva. He received his education at Santa Rosa School and graduated from Lompoc High School in 1939.
During his high school years he milked cows before and after school. He continued working on the farm after getting out of school.

In 1946 the family moved to the Floradale Farm. After all of the siblings were married he stayed farming in a partnership with his dad. The farming was expanded to Douglas Avenue.

In 1949 he married Beverly Truman.
A few years after his dad retired he started a new partnership farming with his son. In the mid-sixties to mid-seventies he hauled lima beans from bean harvesters east of Lompoc to the bean warehouse each fall.

In 1954 the field representative of Union Sugar Company gave him a job weighing sugar beets at the beet unloading station. He worked part time in the fall for ten years while managing his farm in the morning and evening.

In 1954 and 1959 he had back surgeries.

He was a member of La Purisima Catholic Church, a charter member of La Purisima Council Knights of Columbus #3570 where he served as the Grand Knight, a member of the 4th Degree Knights of Columbus J.J. Cantwell Assembly where he was the Captain of the Color Guard for years, a charter member of Lompoc Elks Lodge #2274 where he served as trustee for five years, a charter member of the Lompoc Portuguese S.E.S. Council #81, a member of the Lompoc Portuguese Pentecostal Association where he was active for many years, a member of the U.P.E.C. Portuguese Lodge #125 where he was the secretary for 40 years, a member of the Lompoc Alumni Association and the Lompoc Grange.

He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Beverly Silva of Lompoc; son, John Silva of Lompoc; daughters, Dolly Hudson of Lompoc, Francine Silva of Lompoc, Mary Jane Jones of Lompoc, Linda Miller of Arizona, and Teresa Quimette of Lompoc; 19 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren.

Visitation hours will be on Monday January 8, from 4-8:00 p.m. at Starbuck-Lind Mortuary. Memorial donations may be made to Catholic Charities, 903 East Chestnut Avenue, Lompoc, CA 93436.