Elmer Howard Silva of Vineyard Haven died on Sept. 14 at the remarkable age of 102. A humble, kind and gentle man, he will be deeply missed by his family.

Elmer was born at home on July 22, 1923 to Joseph and Virginia Silva at Tea Lane Farm Chilmark. He attended the Menemsha School and graduated from the Tisbury High School in 1941, when it was both a grammar school and high school.

His father passed away in 1935 when Elmer was 11 years old. Early on Elmer helped on weekends delivering milk, and later also milking the cows, selling blueberries and muskrat pelts that he had trapped. The dairy farm shut down around 1946. He then went on to learn carpentry and got a job working for Joe Leonard building houses in Vineyard Haven.

He later got a job at Reinforced Plastic located at the airport. After six years his doctor told him he had to quit for health reasons. He then worked for Herbert Hancock doing construction jobs mostly up-Island. After Herbert retired, Elmer and Paul Mayhew continued on with the carpentry work. Elmer’s skilled handy work was and is all over Chilmark and Aquinnah.

In 1953, he married the love of his life, Beverly Rhoda Smith. They celebrated their 72nd wedding anniversary on April 18. They had two children: Elmer Howard Silva Jr. and Rhoda Jean Silva.

Elmer was a very skilled woodworker, crafting many intricately inlayed wood cribbage boards coveted by many. He also created whimsical boat and duck cribbage boards. He enjoyed building whirly gigs, wood bird sculptures, giving them as gifts to his family.

For many years he played guitar with numerous musicians at square dances. The bands performed at the then Gay Head town hall, the Chilmark Tavern and the Grange Hall. Some of those he played with included Ernest Correllus, Gale Huntington, Elmer Athearn, Leonard Athearn, Hollis Smith, Everett Whiting, Billy Grieder and Bill Silva, He also performed in a blue grass band with the Correllus family. These events were hugely popular on the Island. He was also a prolific jigsaw puzzler.

Elmer was predeceased by his parents Joseph and Virginia Silva, his sister Clara Silva Rabbitt, brothers Walter Silva and Robert Silva, his in- laws Alec and Gladys Smith.

He is survived by his son Elmer H Silva Jr., his wife Ann (Jones), Rhoda Jean Silva Schwab her husband David; five grandchildren — Heidi Schwab, Catharine Rochwarg her husband Matt, Amanda Schwab-Doyon her husband Ryan, Allison Fitzsimons her husband John, Jason Schwab his wife Jaime (Billings); and 10 great grandchildren — Brady Vought, Colby Vought, George Schwab-Doyon, Lincoln Rochwarg, Mika Schwab, Layla Schwab-Doyon, Reese Schwab, Calla Rochwarg, John Paul Fitzsimons and Ari Schwab.

A graveside service was held at the Oak Grove Cemetery in Vineyard Haven on Sept. 20. In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made in Elmers’s name to an organization that supports Island farms or music programs.