In Memoriam

Remembering Pedro "Pete" Silva

Pedro “Pete” Silva, ’56 BA, ’74 MA Criminal Justice Administration, who played a pivotal role in the creation of the San José State Alumni Association, passed away on February 16, 2025.

Silva served as president of the Alumni Association from 1986-1987. He also served as director of the Spartan Foundation, which was the official revenue generation arm of San José State Athletics at the time. In 2002, Silva and his wife won the Tower Award, SJSU’s highest recognition for service and contributions to the university.

Born in Oakland on October 14, 1933 to Portuguese immigrants, he grew up playing baseball with his brother Bob. He attended San José State, where he was an active member of the Theta Chi fraternity, earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and met his wife Marilyn Silva, ’56 Business.

The father of three sons — Patrick, Paul and Peter — Silva served in the United States Army at Fort Ord, where he was a first lieutenant responsible for more than 100 men. Following his military service, he joined the Santa Clara County Probation Department as a counselor, working through the ranks until ultimately becoming the chief probation officer. Known as the “innovator” of the department, Silva created rehabilitation programs and an electronic monitoring system to track offenders on probation. He retired in the early 1990s, after more than 35 years working for the department.