Edward ‘Eddie’ Joseph Amaral
[Bulley-Graham-Rawlins Funeral Home & Cremation Services]
Bulley-Graham-Rawlins Funeral Home regrets to announce the death of Edward ‘Eddie’ Joseph Amaral.
Eddie was born July 3, 1934, and passed away quietly at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital on October 12th, 2024, after a lengthy battle with dementia. Eddie was born in the Azores, the third of four children, and moved to Bermuda as a young boy. He left school at the age of 12 and went to work at a series of jobs in construction to assist in supporting his family, ultimately meeting his future wife, Joy, and marrying in 1957.
While lacking a formal education, Eddie had a tremendous knack for business. He was a lifelong entrepreneur, and along with the support of his wife Joy, owned and operated a number of successful businesses in Bermuda. He began his entrepreneurial career as the owner of a small construction company. Eventually progressing to the nightclub industry, he opened his first nightclub, the El Matador. From there, he moved on to purchase the Coffee Cup Café restaurant and The Jungle Room nightclub on Queen Street in Hamilton, which he owned and operated for many years. Many older Bermudians will remember the Coffee Cup as a great place for a late-night snack after a night out in Hamilton.
Eddie and his wife Joy moved from the restaurant and nightclub business to the tourism industry, purchasing and operating the Silver Leaf Hotel on Rosemont Avenue, refurbishing and rebranding the property known today as The Royal Palms from 1981 until 1986. Their success and experience in tourism led them to purchase a bigger hotel, the Palmetto Hotel and Cottages in Flatts, which they owned and operated from 1983 until 1999. During his tenure as hotel owner, Eddie was a huge advocate for Bermuda’s tourism industry overseas, regularly accompanying the Department of Tourism on promotional tours across North America. Eddie achieved success through his strong character, work ethic, and attention to detail. If there was ever an individual that exemplified the proverb “the early bird catches the worm,” it was Edward Amaral.
An avid traveler in retirement, Eddie and Joy spent their time between Bermuda and Toronto while regularly enjoying cruises and driving excursions across North America.
Eddie is survived by his wife Joy, son Jeffrey, his wife Laura, and grandchildren Nathan and Nicole. The family is planning a private interment at a future date.
