On the morning of Oct. 12, 2022, Ronald Kendall Cabral went for his morning walk as usual, greeted friends on his way, and got into his truck in North Truro to drive to work at Liquor ’N More, his pockets full of dog treats and his Labrador mix settling in at shotgun. Then he died, suddenly. The cause is yet to be determined. He was 83.
The scion of an old Portuguese family in Provincetown — a photograph of his mother, Bea Cabral, is third from the left in Norma Holt’s “They Also Faced the Sea” series mounted at Fisherman’s Wharf — Ronnie was born at home at 10 Law St. on May 17, 1939. He was the second child and only son of Manuel and Beatrice (Palheiro) Cabral.
Manuel and Bea lived down the street from their parents, and when Ronnie was seven, he moved in with his grandparents to help care for his grandmother, who had diabetes. After she died, said Ronnie’s daughter, Colleen, his grandfather said to him, “One of us is going to have to cook now, and it’s not going to be me.” Ronnie became quite the cook after that, Colleen added.
Ronnie graduated from Provincetown High School in 1958. A few years later, Eileen Kane from New Jersey, a recent Seton Hall nursing graduate, was visiting Provincetown with three of her friends. Ronnie saw her at the Mayflower and was smitten. He promptly spilled a drink on her, and when she left he went to find her to apologize.
The couple married, settled in Provincetown, and eventually built a new home in North Truro, where they raised their children. Ronnie and Eileen were married for 56 years.
Ronnie had a nearly 50-year career in car sales with Duarte Motors in Provincetown and Chatham Ford. He was known for his dedication and excellent service. He not only sold cars but also helped with registration, would deliver the car to the customer’s door, and follow through with service in the same way.
It helped, Colleen said, that “he was an amazing storyteller. He drew customers with his stories.” Over the years, he became the subject of stories himself. “Anyone in Provincetown,” she said, “can give you a story about Ronnie.”
He was a magnet for dogs, who seemed to know that he would feed them all, as well as for people; a dedicated friend and mentor who was a fourth-degree knight in the Knights of Columbus; and also served in Rotary International as head of the student exchange program.
Colleen recalls their house filled with people during those years. Many of the students became lifelong friends, among them Henrik Atoff from Sweden, Leah Nicholls from Australia, and Alcione Hall from Brazil, who Ronnie gave away at her wedding.
In addition to Eileen, Ronnie is survived by his children, Michael Cabral and wife Tara of Pittsfield, N.H. and Colleen Cabral of Centerville; 10 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his sister, Shirley Cabral Mager, and his cousin Jean Travis.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 22 at St. Peter the Apostle Church in Provincetown.
Donations can be made in Ronnie’s name to the Sampson Fund for veterinary care at sampsonfund.org.
