Pedro Manuel Silva, 71, died Friday, June 14th, 2019 at his home in High Point.
Pedro was born in Sao Miguel, Portugal on September 24, 1947. He was the son of the late Serafim P. Silva and Maria Mendonca Silva. Pedro’s family moved to the Boston, MA area when Pedro was 2 years old and settled in the small predominantly Portuguese suburb of Sommerville.
Pedro received his Bachelor of Arts at University of Massachusetts Amherst and his Master of Fine Arts at the University of Michigan Flint. In 1978 Pedro met his future family, wife Linda and daughter Leah. Pedro and Linda celebrated 38 years of love and marriage this past May.
Pedro came to High Point as an actor for the premier season of the North Carolina Shakespeare Festival in the summer of 1977. During the course of his career he served in a variety of roles at the Festival and eventually led the organization as the longest serving Executive Director. The acting, directing, and producing were Pedro’s great passions. He also established the NC Shakespeare Festival’s reputation for bringing in professional actors, treating them with great respect and showcasing their talents in high quality productions.
Perhaps Pedro’s most well-known and personally favorite role was that of Scrooge in A Christmas Carol which became a High Point Christmas tradition. Pedro was always looking for new ways to use Shakespeare plays as a tool to teach, entertain and inspire which led him to establish the innovative and successful Shakespeare to Go Project. The popular project took excerpts from Shakespearean plays into schools across the state of North Carolina to expose and teach. Pedro was also known and respected for his lifelong advocacy of the arts which he took to local, regional, state and national levels. While he was not driven by recognition and accolades Pedro received many for his commitment to the Festival, the community and the arts. Among others he received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine for his service to the state of North Carolina and a proclamation by the City of High Point for his service to the arts and his representation of High Point.
Pedro is survived by his wife Linda of High Point; three brothers, Ilidio (Alice), Gorge, and Paul (Jim); two nephews, David and Chris, all of the Boston, MA area; daughter Leah Williams Ryan of Takoma Park, MD, Marc Ryan, her husband, Stella Grace Ryan (12), his granddaughter, and Miles Williams Ryan(9), his grandson. Also surviving is his Sister-In-Law, Sara Lewallen (Mimi) of Trinity, NC.
Pedro will be remembered in September (date to be determined) with a celebration of life to coincide with The High Point Community Foundation’s commemorative bust unveiling. Cumby Family Funeral Service in High Point is assisting the family.
The family wishes to thank all the great people who have shown extraordinary kindness throughout the past year; Mimi Lewallen, Paul Siceloff, Bill & Dawn Sizemore, Dwain & Jane Skeen, The Church at High Point, Robert Miller, Paul Lessard, Dr. Michael Draelos, Kim Fredrick and countless others.
In memory and honor of Pedro, please consider donating to the Go Fund Me Campaign. https://www.gofundme.com/pedro-silva-health-care, continuing his legacy of care for his family.
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