Obituary, page b4 BY JIM HAND SUN CHRONICLE STAFF

NORTON - Joseph Fernandes was so poor as a child that his mother had to make his shirts out of grain bags, his son Jay Fernandes said Tuesday.

But, Joseph Fernandes was such a hard worker and had such a knack for business that he was able to turn the family grocery store in Norton into a 37-store supermarket chain employing 2,700 people.

"He was born in Madeira, Portugal, and came to this country when he was a little over a year old," Jay Fernandes said of his father.

"They were very poor. He was a real Portuguese success story." Joseph Fernandes, 84, died Sunday at Sturdy Memorial Hospital in Attleboro.

He left behind a legacy of both business success and community service.

Fernandes was chairman of the town school committee and historical society. He served on the industrial commission.

He ran unsuccessfully for state treasurer in 1964 and volunteered his time with a number of civic, church and youth organizations.

Portugal awarded him the Order of Prince Henry the Navigator and Pope John XXIII made him a Knight of St. Gregory the Great.

Jay Fernandes said much of his father's business success came from his "mysterious" ability to get in front of the new waves in business.

The concept of supermarkets was a new one when he started the Fernandes chain in 1947. He eventually sold the chain to Springfield Sugar, the son said, and the supermarkets became SuperPlace.

He was one of the first to see the potential of cable television, becoming a part-owner of a Portuguese channel.

Jay Fernandes said his father had him invest $2,000 in an area cable franchise when it was starting up. Five years later it was worth $250,000, he said.

"He had a knack of getting into the right thing at the right time," Jay Fernandes said of his father. Joseph Fernandes was also very much a "people person," his son said.

He had an ability to make friends with people from all walks of life.

Nelson Rockefeller and Rose Kennedy were among his acquaintances.

"He could travel anywhere in the world and he would run into someone he knew."

His civic involvement ranged from the local Boy Scout council to international affairs.

President John Kennedy made him a special consultant to the State Department's Alliance for Progress. President Ford gave him a leadership award. The nation of Israel awarded him the Prime Minister's Award Medal.

"He led an interesting life. More interesting than most," his son said.