Obituaries 11-14-2018

Yvonne Dello Russo

Of Revere, formerly of East Boston

Yvonne (Blondeau) Dello Russo of Revere, formerly of East Boston, passed away on Nov. 7.  She was 93 years old.

The cherished daughter of the late Leon and Marcelle (Duschene) Blondeau, she was the devoted wife of the late Joseph “Red” Dello Russo, loving mother of Catherine Rubino and her husband, Carmen of Middleton, Joseph H. Dello Russo and his wife, Linda of Revere, Denise Purington and her husband, Kirk of New Hampshire, Marion McCauley and her husband, Pete of Florida and John J. Dello Russo and his wife, Patricia of Revere; adored grandmother of Brenda Parker, Anthony

Dello Russo, Dr. Michelle McSweeney, Jennifer Goode, Kelli McCauley, John, Joseph and Michael Dello Russo and great grandmother of Yvonne, Liam, Stella, Katie, and Bennett. She is also

survived by many loving nieces and nephews.

Funeral arrangements were by Vazza’s “Beechwood” Funeral Home, Revere.

Interment was at Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett. In lieu of flowers, donations

may be made in Yvonne’s name to MGH Blood Donor Center Room J120, 55 Fruit St., Boston, MA 02114. For guest book please visit:  www.vazzafunerals.com.

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Gerald ‘Jerry’ Naplan

Longtime Revere Public School teacher,

guidance counselor and director of adult education

Gerald L. “Jerry” Naplan, formerly of Marblehead, Peabody and originally from Revere, entered into rest on Oct. 18 at Arbor Place in Rockville, Md.  He was 86 years old.

Jerry was a professional educator, having worked for 43 years in the Revere Public
Schools as a classroom teacher, guidance counselor and director of adult education.  For many years, he also served as director of Community Education Programs for the Town of Marblehead.

In addition to his loving commitment to family, Jerry maintained a deep devotion
to the Jewish community including lifelong support for Israel and many years of activism on behalf of the persecuted “refusenik” Jews of the former Soviet Union, including assistance to those who resettled on the North Shore.

He was the husband of the late Dianne, father to Steven and Allan, father-in-law to Puspamitra and Christina and beloved “Zayde” to his three grandchildren: Jonah, Narayani and Elliot.

Having served on the School Committee of the former Cohen Hillel Academy, his family invites others to continue his legacy
through charitable donations in his honor to the institution now known as Epstein Hillel School, 6 Community Road, Marblehead, MA 01945 or online at epsteinhillel.org.

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Jean M. Giguere

Loved life and her religion, active with St. Theresa and St. Anthony Parishes

 

Family and friends are invited to attend Visiting Hours on Thursday, Nov. 15 from 4 to 8 p.m. in the Vertuccio & Smith, Home for Funerals, 773 Broadway, Revere for Jean M. (Robertson) Giguere, who passed away peacefully on Nov. 9. Her funeral will be conducted from the funeral home on Friday, Nov. 16,  at 10 a.m., followed by a Funeral Mass in St. Anthony of Padua Church, 250 Revere St., Revere at 11 a.m. and will be immediately followed by interment in Holy Cross Cemetery, Malden.

Jean was born on Aug. 19, 1931, daughter of the late James and Louise (Reppucci) Robertson. She was a life long resident of Revere and attended St. Rose School in Chelsea. She worked for Public Finance in Lynn in her younger years.

She married in 1956 and became a devoted mother to her two children. She was a member of the Women’s Club and the Moose Club for many years and enjoyed fun trips and parties associated with the St. Theresa’s bowling league. She loved her weekly visits to have her hair done by her dear friend, Paula Vesce of Revere, and she loved all the girls in the shop.

Jean also loved her weekly shopping trips to Walgreens and Rite Aid, where she was known by many of the workers. She loved to cook, but her specialty was baking. She loved to put on big dinners for her family and found such joy in decorating her table and seeing her family all together.

In later years, Jean loved spending holidays with Marguerite Johnson (Mom to Dennis) and her extended family in Woburn followed by dessert at her sister June’s house in Peabody where she loved to be surrounded by all her children. She loved having fun and being silly and laughing with her family. She loved music and will always be remembered as singing all the words to all of the old songs of the ‘40s and ‘50s. She was also a very good dancer in her day. Dancing at all the dance halls on the old Revere Beach.

She enjoyed working for a fudge stand on Revere Beach. She loved to reminisce about all the rides, restaurants, and dance halls knowing that those were the good old days.

The one thing that Jean loved most of all was her church, St. Theresa’s and St. Anthony’s as she was very religious. She loved Jesus with all her heart. She never liked to miss church. The priests were so good to her over the years, and she loved all the parishioners. She was often the last one to leave as she loved to hug and kiss everyone coming out of the church.

She loved all the plays and parties and festivals at St. Anthony’s. She loved singing and dancing and the parties with (DJ) Gary DeBella.

Jean will always be remembered for her morning ritual, which was praying over her pray list. She often added people to her prayer list and her prayers were so strong that they worked to help others on many occasions. Please remember Jean as one of the strongest people I have ever known.

In the later years, she suffered a stroke and a fall, which broke her hip. She fought through such intense pain when her hip surgery went wrong and she had to have three major surgeries in one month. She battled the pain with such strength and courage.

Please remember Jean as one of the most forgiving people I have ever met. Her faith in God was so strong that she would often say, “Forgiveness is the most important thing you can learn in this life. Trust in God and forgive any wrong doings.”

She was the beloved wife of the late Robert M. “Bobby” Giguere of Revere; the mother of Robert T. Giguere and his wife, Robin of Boxford and Jacqueline J. Johnson and her husband, Dennis of Swampscott. She also leaves behind her four grandchildren: Michelle Giuliano and her husband, Michael of Salem, N.H. Brian M. Giguere of Revere, Jessica Giguere of Boxford and Jillian Giguere of Milton and her great grandchildren who were the joy of her life: Destiny, Christiana, Justice, Michael, Uriah, Anastasia and Constantine Giuliano and Emily Giguere. She will also be greatly missed by her grand dogs, Rocky, Bugsy and Max. She was the sister of the late James “Sonny” Robertson and his late wife, Margie, June Littlefield and her husband, Walter “Butch” and Ruth “Chickie” Guarino. She was the sister in law to the late Raymond Giguere and his wife, Peggy. She is also survived by many extended family members whom she cherished one and all.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959. For more information, please visit www.vertuccioandsmith.com.

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Alma Toto

Widow of the late James Toto, proprietor of Toto’s Barbershop on Broadway

Alma Toto passed away at home on Nov. 3 while receiving hospice services from All Care VNA and Hospice in Lynn. She was 95 years old.

Alma was born in Boston and grew up together with many cousins in the Orient Heights section of the city. She lived there until 1948 when she moved to Revere with her husband Jim, a Revere native. She remained in Revere until her death, 16 years after the passing of her husband, Jim, in 2002.

She was a graduate of the former Girls’ High School in Boston, Class of 1940, and attended Boston Clerical School (now Boston Business School.) She began work as a secretary at the federal government’s First Service Command, Boston’s army headquarters during World War II.

She then moved on as a secretary to the government’s film library in Boston, which distributed films to soldiers overseas during the war. She later continued as a secretary, performing post-war work at Watson Laboratory at MIT. She then left Watson, marrying on September 14,1947.

The wife of the late James Toto, owner of Toto’s Barbershop on Broadway, and mother of her devoted daughter, Donna, she was the daughter of the late Alfred Abate and Mary (Cataldo) Abate and sister to the late Alfred (Buddy) Abate, Jr.. She also leaves her niece, Janine Giglio and her husband, Steven of Middleton and grandniece, Danielle Giglio of North Carolina, as well as her dear friend, Emily Chanley of Derry, N.H. and her longtime home health aide and friend, Danielle Guarente.

Funeral Services were under the care and direction of the Vertuccio & Smith, Home for Funerals. Interment was held privately.Memorial donations may be made to the Society of the Little Flower, 1313 N. Frontage Road, Darien, IL., 60561-5340,1-800-621-2806, www.littleflower.org.

The family also gratefully acknowledges the dedication and support of the hospice team and home health aides from All Care Hospice, 210 Market St., in Lynn. Funeral Services were under the care and direction of the Vertuccio & Smith, Home for Funerals. Interment was held privately.

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Alma Toto- A Tribute

June 17, 1923-Nov. 3, 2018

By Donna Toto

What can I say about my Mom, my confidante and friend? No matter what stage in my life, she was always there for me. From talking to me as an infant (and we never stopped!), from reading “just one more chapter” to me, as I would say of “Little Women” (my favorite), to teaching me that in every piece of writing we create there is a “beginning, middle and end.”

She always put my needs and those of my father first, well before her own. She always believed that if each one put the needs of the other before his or her own, there would be a good marriage. In fact, my father and I were her “two highlights” of the day, as she once said. (I would tease her and my father by saying I was her first highlight, since as a child and later a teen I arrived home before my father did from work.)

Our home was always harmonious, as I said more than once in describing our family, and both my mother and father were a large part of that. When my father passed away on June 29, 2002, my mother tried to keep her emotions in check for me. One family member said in her letter of condolence, “You were always so close.” Another characterized us as “three peas in a pod,” and, in fact, we were.

When my parents would go out to dinner to celebrate their wedding anniversary, it was understood that I would go out with them. I would ask as a child, in all innocence, “Where are we going for our anniversary?”

And our going out together continued through my adult years. More than once as a college student and a class was l cancelled unexpectedly, I would track my parents down at a nearby restaurant and join them.

My father was always there for my mother and never failed to calm her fears. When I was leaving to study in London during my junior year in college, my mother said to me,” But, Donna, you’re putting an ocean between us.” And my father said simply, “We have phones.”

A stay-at-home mother whose greatest satisfaction was doing for her family, she readily left behind her work as a secretary for the federal government during World War II and turned her attention to her family.

She was born in Boston and grew up together with many cousins in the Orient Heights section of the city (“the Heights”) and graduated from Girls’ High School in Boston, the class of 1940. She then attended Boston Clerical School, now Boston Business School, before joining the federal government’s army headquarters in Boston, First Service Command.

My mother was always there for us, her family and her memory lives on as a fine example of unwavering love, support and devotion. I appreciate you, Mom, my confidante and friend, and will never forget you and your always being there for us, your family.

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Phyllis Rubino

Of Wilmington, formerly of Revere

Phyllis (Zevolo) Rubino of Wilmington, formerly of Revere, died on Nov. 9 at the age of 100.

She was the beloved wife of the late Alfred Rubino, devoted mother of Louis Rubino and his wife, Marsha of Burlington and Jeanne DaMore and her husband, Peter of Wilmington; cherished grandmother of Attorney David Rubino and his wife, Aleica of Connecticut, Attorney Peter DaMore and his wife, Gayle of Burlington, Craig Rubino and his wife, Heather of Georgia, Alfred DaMore and his wife, Ann of Woburn, and Lisa King and her husband, Christopher of Wilmington; adoring great grandmother of Griffin, Hadley, Beatrix, Frida, Tyler, Trae, Dylan, Joseph, Gavin, Lillian, and Robert. Dear sister of the late Rose Palermo, Connie Silva, Michael, James, and Anthony Zevolo. She is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews.

A visitation will be held at the Paul Buonfiglio & Sons-Bruno Funeral Home, 128 Revere St, Revere, today, Wednesday, Nov. 14 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass at 11 a.m. in St. Anthony’s Church.  Relatives and friends are kindly invited. Interment will be at Holy Cross Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Sawtelle Family Hospice House, 320 Haverhill St., Reading, MA 018767. For guest book please visit www.Buonfiglio.com.

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Denise ‘Dee’ Carnazzo

Retired registered nurse

Family and friends are invited to attend a Graveside Service at Woodlawn Cemetery, 302 Elm St., Everett, today, Wednesday, Nov. 14 at 1 p.m. for Denise M. “Dee” (Hayes) Carnazzo, who passed on Friday, Nov. 9 following a year-long battle with metastatic cancer at Boston’s Brigham & Womens’ Hospital. She was 54 years old.

Born and raised in Somerville, she was a 1983 graduate of Everett High School. The family spent time in Somerville, before moving to Everett. Dee moved to Revere four years ago.

In 1986, Denise graduated from Youville Hospital School of Nursing. Over the years, her nursing career was spent at several local nursing homes, i.e. Lighthouse Nursing Center of Revere and Woodlawn Manor Nursing Center of Everett. She also did agency work as well. She retired from nursing in 2008.

She was the devoted mother of Dennis M. Hayes and his wife, Elaine and Christina M. Carnazzo, all of Everett;  the adored grandmother to Dennis T. Hayes of Dracut and Autumn Rose Leonard of Everett;  the dear sister to Gerald F. “Jay” Hayes and his wife, Linda of Everett, Lorraine D. Hanscomb of Revere, David S. Hayes and his wife, Theresa of Raymond, N.H., and Douglas M. Hanscomb and his wife, Laura of Ware, N.H. She was the daughter of the late Frances A. (Fucile) DiPlatzi and the late Gerald F. Hayes, Sr. “Dee” also leaves many loving nieces and nephews.

Visiting hours are respectfully omitted, at “Dee’s” own request. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Division of Development & the Jimmy Fund), P.O. Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284-9168.For more information, please visit: www.vertuccioandsmith.com.

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Joseph Cunningham

Retired machinist

Family and friends are invited to attend visiting hours on Friday, Nov. 16, in the Vertuccio & Smith, Home for Funerals, 773 Broadway (Route 107) Revere for Joseph F. Cunningham who died most unexpectedly on Monday, Nov. 12, at his residence in the Jack Satter House on Revere Beach Boulevard. He was 74 years old.

His Funeral will be conducted from the Funeral Home on Saturday, Nov. 17 at a time to be announced, followed by a Funeral Mass in the Immaculate Conception Church (Corner of Beach Street and Winthrop Avenue) Revere at a time to be announced.

A lifelong resident of Revere, he was the devoted son of the late John W. Cunningham, Sr. and Mary M. (O’Brien) Cunningham; the beloved brother of John W. Cunningham Jr. and his wife, Diane of Andover and Marco Island, Fla., and the late Ellen J. Cunningham. He is also survived by many loving cousins.

A complete obituary will be published in next week’s edition on Nov. 21. For additional information, please visit www.vertuccioandsmith.com.