Joe E. Pinheiro

Joe Pinheiro passed away peacefully on April 24, 2025, at the age of 83. He was the beloved husband of 59 years of the late Arminda Pinheiro. Loving Father of Kathy Correia. Cherished grandfather of Justin (Kelsey) Correia, Kenny (Melisa) Correia, and Talisa (Jim) Bidia. Adored great-grandfather of Penelope, Quinn, Della, Dalton, and August. Proceeded in death by his siblings Antonio Pinheiro and Manuel Pinheiro. The family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to Joes two caregivers, Dee and Connie, for their dedication, compassion, and unwavering support. Their kindness and vibrant spirits brought Joe great comfort.

Born in the Azores, Joe came to the United States in 1959 at the age of 18, when he began working at his uncle Frank Pinheiro’s dairy in Novato, where he met the love of his life, Arminda, who prepared meals for the dairy workers. The two married in 1961 and began their life together in Point Reyes, where he milked cows for Mendoza Dairy. In 1962, they moved to Sonoma County and continued his work at Tom Nunes Dairy. Two years later, in 1964, Joe and Arminda started their own dairy in Santa Rosa with 80 cows. Joe took care of the milking while Arminda lovingly raised the calves.

Joe dedicated over 60 years of his life to dairy farming. He was known for his love of his cows and was passionate about being a dairyman. He enjoyed riding his 4-wheeler through the fields to check on his herd. His grandson, Justin Correia, proudly carries on Joe’s legacy at the family dairy.

Joe held tightly to his Portuguese roots, hosting annual grape-crushing weekends with friends in true Azorean tradition, making wine and linguiça together. He cherished time spent with his grandchildren—taking them to Bodega Bay, enjoying cabin weekends, and proudly watching them show Holstein heifers at the local fairs. His great-grandchildren brought him endless joy, and he was known to always have lollipops ready for them.

Active in various organizations, he was a member of the Petaluma Lodge #901 BPOE, Portuguese Holy Ghost Societies in Sebastopol, Petaluma, Novato, and Sausalito.  Joe was honored to serve as president of the Sr. Santo Cristo Society in the early 2000s. He never missed a celebration and loved reconnecting with friends and his community.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a charity of your choice in Joe’s memory. Joe will be dearly missed. May God bless him and grant him eternal peace

Family and Friends are invited to attend the graveside Service on Friday May 2, 2025, at 11:00 am at Calvary Catholic Cemetery, Bodega, CA. There will be a celebration of life following at 2064 Old Adobe Road Petaluma, CA 94952.