Anthony ‘Tinny’ ‘Tony’ Lopilato Jr.
U.S. Postal Service retiree whose total life was consumed with family and extended family
Anthony M. Lopilato, Jr., affectionately known as “Tinny†and “Tony†passed away following a long illness on Tuesday, Nov. 28, at Brigham & Women’s Faulkner Hospital, Boston. He was 74 years old.
Born and raised in East Boston, he was a life-long resident of the city. He was a 1957 graduate of Sacred Heart Grammar School and a 1961 alumnus of Sacred Heart High School. He went on to attend Bentley College and later enlisted in the U.S. Air Force entering in February of 1965 and serving through October, 1968. He was honorably discharged with the rank of sergeant. “Tinny†would often speak of his time with the Air Force as the “Very Best Time of My Life.†He was proud to have served, especially in the trenches of Vietnam. His stations included; Lackland Airforce Base, Macdill, (Tampa, Fla.), Cam Ranh Bay (Vietnam) and Chanute. “Tinny†– “Tony†was in charge of dispensing any and all parts and supplies pertinent to aircraft need.
Returning from the war, he became an ironworker as a welder and layout man for five years. He then sought a position at Suffolk Downs Race Track as a groomer, a position he thoroughly enjoyed for over 10 years.
In 1979, he began his career with U.S. Postal Service as a mail handler and coupled with his four year veteran’s service, completed 20 years with the U.S. Postal Service. He came to full retirement in 1995.
“Tinny†enjoyed life, especially his time with his beloved wife of 47 years, Constance “Connie†(DeFronzo) and the pride of his life, his only and devoted daughter, Julie A. Lopilato and her companion, Dennis Bernard – all lived together in the same home in East Boston. His total life was consumed with family and extended family.
He leaves his cherished brother Stephen P. Lopilato and his wife, Doris of Plymouth. He was the proud uncle of Michael Mayberry of West Palm Beach, Fla., Matthew Mayberry and his wife, Julie of Plymouth, Myles Mayberry-Lopilato and his wife, Michelle of West Point, N.Y., Mindy Lopilato and her husband, Jared Kershner of Mashpee and many other nieces, nephews and great-grandnieces and great-nephews. He is also lovingly survived by his in-laws, Margaret “Peggy†Vitale-Intraversato of Revere and her late husband, David P. who passed on Oct. 26, 2017, Donna DeFronzo of Chelsea, Denise and Dennis Thompson of Sanbornton, N.H. and John DeFronzo and his wife, Debra “Debbie†of Lynn.
Funeral arrangements were by the Vertuccio & Smith Home for Funerals, Revere. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to New England Center & Home for Veterans, P.O. Box 845257, Boston, MA 02284-5257 or to St. Jude Childrens’ Research Hospital, P.O. Box1000, Dept.142, Memphis, TN 38101-9908. For additional information, please visit: www.vertuccioandsmith.com.
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Agostino ‘Gus; Pecoraro Jr.
Former proprietor of Gus Barber Shop of Revere
Augustino “Gus†Pecoraro, Jr. died following metastatic cancer at his Revere residence on Wednesday, Nov. 29. He was 86 years old.
Born in South Windham, Maine, he came to live in East Boston after being discharged from the Navy in 1954. He remained there until moving to Revere in 1965. He was an alumnus of the former New England Barber School, Class of 1963. He opened his Shoppe; Gus’s Barber Shop on Revere Street, Revere, in 1963 and operated the shoppe until retiring on his 80th birthday, in 2011. His barber shop, as is the case with shoppes of their nature, become a center of education, debate and long-term friendships that are passed from generation to generation. Young men arrived for their first haircut, and later would present their sons and grandsons for their first haircuts, a rite of passage. “Gus†was a long-time member of the Malden Moose and the V.F.W. Post #6712 of Beachmont, Revere.
“Gus†served with the U.S. Navy as a Seaman 1st class entering on Jan. 22, 1948, thru Feb. 13,1950, and re-enlisted on July 28, 1950 through May 18, 1954 during the Korean Conflict. He held the following commendations: Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Medal, the Korean Service (with five Bronze Stars), the United Nations and the Navy Occupation Medals.
He was the beloved husband of 62 years of Mary T. (Agostinelli); the devoted father of Joseph R. Pecoraro and his companion, Diane Kramer, Michael E. Pecoraro and his wife, Kristen and Susan M. Pecoraro; the cherished grandfather to Joseph M. Pecoraro and his wife, Cynthia, Anne Marie Pecoraro, James Ryan Pecoraro and his wife, Kristina, Michael J. Pecoraro, Chief Warrant Officer Patrick A. Pecoraro, U.S. Army and Matthew R. Pecoraro, U.S. Army. He was also the dear brother of Julia Larrabee and her late husband, Donald and John Pecoraro and his late wife, Ellen and the late Anthony, Eugene, Joseph and Generean Pecoraro and the late, Caroline Camusi, Mary Maglione, Carmella “Minola†Laskey. He is also lovingly survived by four great-grandchildren: Rosalie, Carmen, Daphne and Lincoln and by many nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews.
Funeral arrangements were by the Vertuccio & Smith, Home for Funerals, Revere. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to N.E. Center & Homefor Veterans, PO Box 845257, Boston, MA 02284-5257. For additional information, please visit: www.vertuccioandsmith.com.
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Mary Ricciardi
Blue Cross Blue Shield retiree; also worked at Lou’s Take Out
Mary A. (DiBiase) Ricciardi of Revere died on Nov. 28.  She was 91 years old.
Mary retired from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and also worked at Lou’s Take Out for many years.
The beloved daughter of the late Alexander and Carmella (DiCicco) DiBiase, she was the devoted mother of Cynthia Coppola, Samuel Coppola and Gerald Ricciardi, all of Revere and the late Joseph Coppola and his surviving wife, Cathy Coppola of Malden and daughter in law Jennifer Ricciardi.; dear sister of the late Anna Rescigno, Jennie Croci, Frank DiBiase, Louis Gioia, and Ernest DiBiase and cherished grandmother of Gerry Ricciardi Jr, Angelica Ricciardi, Rachel Ricciardi, Janie Sue Fenneuff, and the late Jacob Ricciardi. She was the dear friend of Larry Coppola, Vincent Ranelli and Arlene Duca and is also survived by six great-grandchildren and many loving nieces and nephews. Upon Mary’s request, all services were privately held. For guest book please visit: www.Buonfiglio.com.
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Josephine Tanner
Retired executive secretary for the Metropolitan District Planning Commission
Family and friends are invited to attend visiting hours on Friday, Dec. 8 from 4 to 8 p.m. in the Vertuccio & Smith Home for Funerals, 773 Broadway (Route 107) Revere, for Josephine C. (Camerlengo) Tanner who passed away following a brief illness on Thursday, Nov. 10 at her Prospect House residence in Revere. Her funeral will be conducted from the funeral home on Saturday, December 9, at 10 a.m., followed by a Funeral Mass in the Immaculate Conception Church (corner of Beach Street and Winthrop Avenue) Revere at 11 a.m.
A peculiar coincidence is that her passing came three days following the 75th anniversary (on November 27, 1942) of the infamous “Coconut Grove†fire in Boston’s Bay Village. Josephine was there and present –when her group arrived late for an evening at the club, they were seated in the small lounge at the front of the building and, it was most probably, the major reason why they survived the tragedy.
Born to humble Italian immigrants, Bernardino and Maria (Marone) Camerlengo in East Boston, the family settled in Revere when Josephine was a little girl. An outstanding student, she was a graduate of East Boston High School, Class of 1937. She went on to Boston Secretarial school and was a graduate of the Class of 1939.
Josephine joined the U.S. Navy (WAVES) in December of 1942 and served with the rank of Seaman 2nd Class until her discharge in January of 1946. She was a proud member of the military and a member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the American Legion Post 61 of Revere.
Josephine “Auntie Joe†began her career at Forbes Lithograph and remained there until 1952, when she began her tenure at the Metropolitan District Planning Commission, where she rose to the position of “executive secretary,†a position she held for 33 years until retiring in 1985. To her death, she still had several friends from her days at the MDPC.
In November of 1977, she was widowed by the untimely and unexpected demise of her dear husband, Louis A. Tanner, Jr. The couple was childless and Josephine soon became the “surrogate†mom, grandmother and great-grandmother to her many nieces and nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews and great grand nieces and great grand nephews, a position on which she thrived.
Her fraternal associations were several, The Daughters of Italy (Ladies Lodge) at the Giuseppe Mazzini Lodge of Revere, the Winthrop Improvement & Historical Association, the Dante Alighieri Society of Massachusetts and the Revere Society for Cultural & Historic Preservation, Inc.
However, keeping in mind that Josephine was an ardent and proud member of the “Greatest Generation,†she regaled in detail the responsibilities that one assumes when joining fraternal organizations, i.e., supporting the society physically and monetarily. Her days were filled with meetings, luncheons and planning activities that often occupied her schedule until late in the evening. Her lifestyle made a change about two years ago when she moved to Prospect House.
She was the dear sister of the late Mildred Gargiulo and her late husband, Gerald H., Ann A. Savoia and her late husband, Charles and William B. Camerlengo and his late wife, Claire; the devoted aunt to: Angela Howell of Cape Coral, Fla., Richard Giglio and his wife, Joanne of Raleigh, N.C., Beryl Segal of Wainae, Hawaii, Carl Savoia of Revere, Geralyn A. Gargiulo and her husband, Brian Parrell of Revere and North Conway, N.H., Meryl Sachs of Pacific Grove, Calif., Maria Camerlengo of Salem, N.H., Lawrence “Larry†Powers of Winthrop, Louis Powers of Southboro, MA and Joanne Grimes and her husband, Paul of Olney, Md.
She is also lovingly survived by her God-daughter, Patricia Hazzard and her husband, Robert of Worcester and by many faithful and respectful grand nieces and grand-nephews and great-grand-nieces and nephews.
For over 45 years, Josephine was a Winthrop resident before moving back to Revere at the Prospect House.
Interment will be in Woodlawn Cemetery in Everett. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the American Legion Post 61 “Restoration Fund,†249 Broadway, Revere, MA 02151.
For additional information, please visit: www.vertuccioandsmith.com.
