June 30, 1947 – December 30, 2017
Long time Morgan Hill resident and business owner Joe Avila passed from this life on December 30, following a May cancer diagnosis.
His is the classic immigrant’s tale of determination and hard work. In 1965, at the age of 17, Jose Maria Bettencourt e Avila came to the United States with $5 in his pocket. After working briefly at a dairy in New Almaden, Mr. Avila went to work for Lucky Stores where, at the age of 30, he became the youngest Store Manager in company history. He spent the next twelve years at Lucky, eventually supervising the company’s Northern California division before “retiring” at age 42 to fulfill his dream of opening his own business.
In 1989, with one daughter in college and two more to follow, Mr. Avila and his wife opened SignTech-Postal Stop, a sign shop and shipping center, on Morgan Hill’s Vineyard Boulevard. Under his careful management, the business thrived for 27 years serving the needs of thousands of Morgan Hill residents. Mr. Avila was content to go to work each day in “his little shop” as he called it, and he enjoyed the many customers who became like a second family to him. This past spring, when cancer had taken a toll and Mr. Avila could no longer work, the business was passed on to Mr. Avila’s son-in-law, Doug Stewart, and his daughter, Debbie Avila Stewart, of San Martin, bringing Mr. Avila great happiness in knowing his legacy would continue.
Born on Portugal’s Azores Islands in the picturesque village of Rosais, Sao Jorge to Irene Sousa and Antonio Maria Bettencourt e Avila, Mr. Avila grew up with his mom, dad, and siblings along with a loving and large extended family. Mr. Avila’s parents separated when he was a boy, forcing him to rely on the steadfast love of his family to see him through. Those early years impacted him hugely and cemented the importance of family, something he clung to all his life.
Shortly after immigrating to the United States, Mr. Avila met and married Alcinda (Cindy) Avila and they started their family. They lived in San Jose for a time before purchasing a home in Morgan Hill in 1977 where they raised three daughters who all attended Morgan Hill public schools and went on to graduate from college, two with advanced degrees. Cindy and Joe spent many years sacrificing for their family and working hard to provide opportunities for their girls. Joe’s life was full of the things he loved most: soccer, family, good food and wine, trips to the ocean, and annual vacations to his beautiful homeland of the Azores.
He is preceded in death by his wife of 39 years, Alcinda, and leaves behind his beloved companion of ten years, Natalie Draher, also of Morgan Hill. Mr. Avila is survived by his daughters and sons-in-law Michelle Avila and Chris Berthold of Norwich, VT, and Christy Avila and Thomas Nores of Morgan Hill, in addition to his daughter Debbie and son-in-law Doug. He is also survived by five grandchildren, Anabela, Carlton, Owen, Amelia, and Bishop, along with his four siblings and his mother. Mr. Avila is now interred with his wife at Morgan Hill’s Mt. Hope Cemetery. Services were held January 4 and 5, 2018.
