Joe Gonsalves, Mangaluru's senior most traffic warden passes away at 99

Joe Gonsalves, Mangaluru city's traffic warden chief, passed away at 99 in a city hospital on Sunday. He was instrumental in forming the volunteer's forum to regulate the city's traffic during the peak hours and could be seen at traffic signals at his ripe age.

Mangaluru:Joseph Gonsalves (99), well known as Joe Gonsalves, who served as traffic warden chief of Mangaluru city passed away on Sunday. Gonsalves could be seen at the traffic signals every day regulating traffic in this coastal city. Mangaluru Commissioner of Police N Shashi Kumar condoled the death of Joe Gonsalves. 'My heartfelt condolences for the loss of Mr Joe Gonsalves the chief traffic warden of Mangaluru', he tweeted.

He had been admitted to Father Muller Hospital some time ago due to age-related illness but died this morning. A resident of Mangaluru's Falnir, Joe joined the British-based JL Morrison Company as a Management Trainee and later became a Sales Manager at the same company. Eventually, he was promoted to executive director of the company and was based in London.

Upon retirement, he served as a director at various educational institutions and charity organizations. He was also the founder of Mangaluru's Saint Aloysius Alumni Association in North America.

Once he returned to the country, he was in talks with traffic police officials to resolve the city's traffic problem. In 2015, he started serving as a traffic warden and at the age of 94, was serving as chief warden of the volunteers regulating traffic in the city.

An avid yoga practitioner, Gonsalves who was fit at the ripe age, used to give tips on how to improve physical health for the elders.

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