Salvatore (Sal) J. Monteiro, formerly of Charlestown, Oak Bluffs and Falmouth, died on July 7 in the Falmouth Hospital after a brief illness. He was 53.

Sal was employed at the Vineyard Gazette for 17 years, where he worked in the pressroom and all around the newspaper office doing a variety of odd jobs. He “caught” the newspapers as they came off the press every week, did maintenance on the Goss Community press and kept the Gazette’s white picket fence fronting South Summer street in Edgartown freshly painted every year. Sal was adored by his many co-workers at the Gazette, who fondly remember him for his wide smile, can-do attitude, sunny outlook and the cakes he occasionally baked for someone’s birthday. Every year at Christmastime he famously played Santa at the newspaper, making the rounds at some unexpected moment with presents. One year he bought socks for everyone. Another year it was popcorn.

Sal on his 50th birthday with Gazette pressman Jeremy Smith (center) and Karl Klein (left).

Sal on his 50th birthday with Gazette pressman Jeremy Smith (center) and Karl Klein (left).

Sal loved to paint, swim, play chess and cook. He also was a certified home health aide and auto mechanic technician. He was active at the Fairwinds Community Center. He had moved from Oak Bluffs to Falmouth in 2011, but continued to work for the Gazette, delivering newspapers to vendors in Woods Hole.

He was predeceased by his father John J. Monteiro, and a brother, Anthony (Tony) Monteiro. He was survived by his mother Josephine Pastorelli and stepfather Charles Vasques; sisters Ginamarie M. Monteiro, Lynda Bater and her husband Kirk Bater; brothers John (Jay) Monteiro and his wife Anne Monteiro, Stephen(Bruno) Monteiro; several nieces and nephews, great-nieces, aunts and uncles, his Fairwinds and Gazette families and Burger King friends.

Visiting hours will be held at Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home in Falmouth on Thursday, July 10, from 6 to 8 pm. A funeral mass will be held at St. Anthony’s in East Falmouth at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 11.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Fairwinds Community Center, Katharine Lee Bates Road, Falmouth, MA 02540.