Obituaries 11-10-2010

Adolfo ‘Fito’ Ramirez

Semi-retired barber, former owner of Frank and Fito’s Barber Shop

Adolfo S. “Fito” Ramirez, former owner and proprietor of Frank and Fito’s Barber Shop, died at the Massachusetts General Hospital on November 4 following a heroic battle with overwhelming illness. He was 75 years old.

Born, raised and educated in Laredo, Texas, he was the son of Roberto and Maria Eva (Sanchez) Ramirez. He worked with his family as a migrant farm worker in the Heartland of Texas and Central Plains States.

Mr. Ramirez settled briefly in California and San Antonio, Texas before coming to Chelsea 42 years ago. He began working as a barber at Frank’s Barber Shop on Fifth Street and later acquired the shop and relocated to Broadway where it was known as “Frank and Fito’s Barber Shop” for many years. Semi-retired, he continued cutting hair in the same location now known as “Coral Barber Shop”. A Proud Texan, he was a devoted New England sports fan dedicated to the Boston Red Sox and New England Patriot teams.

A loving husband and father, he was devoted to his wife and children. He was the beloved husband of 48 years to Berta C. (Cadena) Ramirez of Chelsea; devoted father of Sandra Y. Ramirez, Leticia Ramirez, Adolfo Ramirez Jr. and Raquel Ramirez, all of Chelsea; dear brother of Miguel Ramirez of Boston, Juanita R. Lush of Chelsea and the late Felip Ramirez, Cuca Moran, Francisco Ramirez, Maria Paiedas, Helen Garcia, Roberto Ramirez and Eva Esparza and cherished uncle to many nieces, nephews, grand nieces and grand nephews.

A Funeral Mass was celebrated on Wednesday, in St. Rose Church. Should friends desire, contributions in his memory may be made to the American Diabetes Association, 330 Congress St. 5th Floor, Boston, MA 02210 or by visiting www.Diabetes.org. Funeral Arrangements entrusted to the care and direction of the Frank A. Welsh and Sons Funeral Home. For online guestbook, please visit www.WelshFuneralHome.com

 

John Edward Paul Sr.

Truck driver for Spring Air Mattress Co.

John Edward Paul Sr., a retired truck driver and longtime Chelsea resident, died November 3 at the Whidden Memorial Hospital in Everett after being stricken in his home. He was 63 years old and unaware that his own mother passed away in Canada only minutes before his own sudden demise.

Born in Burnt Church, New Brunswick, Canada, son of Native Americans, Wallace Lincoln Paul and Mary Eulalie Mitchell, as a young boy, he was raised with Mi’Kmaq and Catholic traditions in Canada. His formal education concluded with two years of college. A longtime Chelsea resident, he worked as a truck driver for Spring Air Mattress Co. in Chelsea.

At a company celebration he met, courted and soon married Kathleen Klimek of Chelsea. Together they shared the past 30 years of marriage residing in Chelsea.

In addition to his beloved wife, he was the devoted father of John E. Paul Jr. of Burnt Church, New Brunswick Canada; dear brother of Lizzie Young, Stafford and Austin Paul, all of Burnt Church New Brunswick and the late Frances Isaac and J. Frank Paul. He is also survived by grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews

A Memorial Vigil Service was held at the Frank A. Welsh & Son’s Funeral Home. Inurnment will take place in St. Anne’s Roman Catholic Cemetery in Miramichi, New Brunswick, Canada to rest alongside his mother at a later date. Funeral Arrangements entrusted to the care and direction of the Frank A. Welsh and Sons Funeral Home. For online guestbook, please visit www.WelshFuneralHome.com.

 

William Kaplan

Everett resident

William Kaplan of Everett died on November 2. He was 89 years old.

He was the devoted husband of Marian “Vicki” (Hyde); beloved father of Deena and Paul David and Stanley and Wanda Kaplan; adored grandfather of Jenny, Avi, and Jonah David; dear brother of Edward Kaplan and the late Morton Kaplan.

Funeral arrangements were entrusted to the Goldman Funeral Chapel, Malden. Burial was in West Roxbury. Expressions of sympathy may be donated to the charity of one’s choice. For online condolences, visit: www.goldmanfc.com.

 

Linda Blake

Chinese food and Cribbage enthusiast

Linda M. (Brown) Blake died on November 6 surrounded by her loving family at the Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers. She fought a courageous battle with lung cancer. She was 64 years old.

For most of her life, she lived in Chelsea and also lived in Charlestown, Peabody, and Beverly, Massachusetts, and Kansas City, Kansas. As a child, she was a Girl Scout and a skilled swimmer. As an adult, she worked for a number of years in the Chelsea plant of Samuel Cabot Incorporated, a wood stain manufacturer. She was a Kowloon Chinese food enthusiast and an avid cribbage player.

She was the daughter of the late John F. and Alice M. Brown; the sister of the late John Brown and Andrew Brown; the mother and mother-in-law of Annmarie (Curtis) LaSquade and her husband, Frank LaSquade, Glenn Curtis, John Curtis and his partner, Michelle LaVertue, Theresa Curtis and her partner, Deborah Scott, and Kelly (Blake) Munford; the grandmother of Jillian Curtis, Conrado Gomez and his fiance, Lauren Bigelow, the late Christopher Gomez, Tasha Gell, Jennifer Munford, Mark Munford, John Curtis, Joshua Curtis, and Courtney Curtis; and the great-grandmother of Akeelah Reynolds and Adrianna Gomez.

Cremation was by Casper Funeral Services of Boston. To offer online condolences go to www.casperfuneralservices.com and click on “Guestbook Sign-In.” Donations to the Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers or to the Life Care Center of the North Shore in Lynn would be greatly appreciated.

 

Helen Pozniak

GE retiree

Helen L. (Yuknevich) Pozniak, a retired secretary, died at the Winchester Hospital after a brief illness. She was 89 years old.

Born in Boston’s North End, she was the beloved daughter of the late Anthony and Barbara (Walauska) Yuknevich. She worked for many years at GE in Lynn as an office clerk. She made her home in Woburn with her husband Waclaw “Walter” for the past 50 years. She was predeceased by her parents and her sister, Julia White.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated in St. Stanislaus Church on November 8. Services concluded with burial in Calvary Cemetery, Winchester. Funeral Arrangements entrusted to the care and direction of the Anthony Memorial Funeral Home. For online guestbook, please visit www.AnthonyMemorial.com.

 

Vincent ‘VJ’ Catania

Founded Catania Hospitality Group and Pewter Pot Restaurants, Past President of Revere Rotary

Vincent J. “VJ” Catania of Cotuit died peacefully surrounded by his loving family on November 3 at the Mary McCarthy Care Center, Sandwich. He was 81 years old.

Mr. Catania was the founder of Catania Hospitality Group which includes Hearth ‘n’ Kettles, John Carver Inn, Plymouth, Dan l’ Webster Inn, Sandwich and the Cape Codder Resort & Spa, Hyannis. He and his wife Marie, along with their six children ran the family businesses. He was the past owner and founder of Pewter Pot Restaurants in Greater Boston Area and built a chain of 40 coffee shops between 1963 and 1973.

He was a communicant of Christ the King Church, Mashpee and past member and Past President Massachusetts Restaurant Association, Honorary Life Member, Board of Directors; Past President of Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce; Past President of Rotary Club of Revere. He was also awarded the DiRoNA (Distinguished Restaurants of North America) 2003 Hall of Fame and Lifetime Achievement Award for the State of Massachusetts.

He was the beloved husband of 60 years of Marie T. (Santo) Catania and the son of the late Frank and Concetta (Tangusso) Catania. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his children, Frank Catania and his wife, Kathy, of Barnstable, Steve Catania and his wife, Kathy, of Mashpee, Debra of Sandwich, Richard of Mashpee, William Catania and his wife, Maureen, of Marstons, Mills and Robert Catania and his wife, Sheri, of Marstons Mills. He is also survived by his 13 grandchildren: Bethany, Michael, Alissa, Rachel, Christopher, Ryan, Amanda, Jason, Arielle, Zachary, Jordan, Hannah and Brooke and three great grand children Tyler, Alexia and Haylee. He was the brother of the late Roy, Joseph and Louis.

Funeral arrangements were by Chapman, Cole & Gleason, Mashpee. Burial was at the Sandwich Town Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to Mary McCarthy Care Center, Route 130 East Sandwich, MA 02537.

 

Phyllis Powers

Longtime Chelsea Clock employee

Phyllis H. (Folino) Powers of Fort Lauderdale, FL, formerly of Winthrop, died on October 27, 2010.

She was employed by the Chelsea Clock Company for over 50 years and was Past President of the Winthrop Women’s Catholic Club and the Winthrop Ladies’ Lodge, Order of the Sons of Italy.

Born September 18, 1922 to the late Frank and Constance Folino, she was the loving niece of the late Albert and Amelia Folino; devoted wife of the late Attorney Gerard A. Powers; mother of Gerard A. Powers Jr. of Winthrop and Maureen P. Meller (Gary) of Fort Lauderdale; grandmother of Taylor Powers of Winthrop and Kelsey Powers of Somerville  and Marc, Eric and Brian Meller of Fort Lauderdale; sister of Nicholas Folino (Mabel) of Saugus and the late Frances Smith of Peabody and longtime companion of Albert Intonti of Peabody. 

Funeral arrangements were by the Ernest P. Caggiano and Son Funeral Home, Winthrop. Burial was in the Cross Street section of Winthrop Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to St. John the Evangelist Church, 320 Winthrop St. Winthrop, MA 02152.

 

Ruth Fitzgerald

Melrose resident

Ruth L. (LeVie) Fitzgerald of Melrose, formerly of Westfield, died on November 6. She was 90 years old.

She was the beloved wife of the late Donald J. Fitzgerald; loving mother of Marguerite Alpers and her husband. Byron, of Wisconsin, Ellin Conley and her husband, William, of Belmont, Donald J. Fitzgerald Jr. and his wife, Patricia, of Melrose, and Ruth E. Fitzgerald of Chelsea; cherished grandmother of Donald and Mollie Fitzgerald, Nora Alpers, and Marguerite Conley; devoted sister of Marguerite LeVie of Reading.

Vistitation will be held at the Gately Funeral Home, 79 W. Foster St., Melrose today, Thursday, November 11 from 4 to 8 p.m. A funeral service will be held at the Robert E. Cusack Funeral Home, 94 Main St., Westfield, on Friday, Nov. 12 at 11 a.m. Relatives and friends are invited to attend. Burial will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Westfield. Donations in her name may be made to the Fitch Home, 75 Lake Ave., Melrose, MA 02176. For obituary, directions or to sign online guest book, please visit: www.gatelyfh.com

 

Alda ‘Dotty’ Amorella

Former Chelsea resident

Alda M. “Dotty” (Goodwin) Amorella of Tewksbury, formerly of Malden and Chelsea, died November 3 at the Holy Family Hospital in Methuen after a long period of declining health.  She was 96 years old.

The beloved wife of the late Patrick J. Amorella who died in 1991, she was born in the Argyle Sound region of Nova Scotia on November 25, 1913, one of nine children of the late Ephrim and Ethel (Murphy) Goodwin.  She moved to the United States at age 13 and settled in Malden and later Chelsea where she lived the greater part of her life and where she was a member of the Chelsea Moose Club.  She had been a resident of Tewksbury since 2003.

In her earlier years, she worked for the National Biscuit Company, “NABISCO,”  in Cambridge, and later retired from General Electric’s manufacturing division in East Boston.

She is survived by two sons and a daughter-in-law; John J. Amorella of Chelsea, Peter and his wife, Patricia Amorella, of Tewksbury; 12 grandchildren and two great grandchildren. She was also the grandmother of the late Michael Amorella, formerly of Lawrence, who died on November 4, 2008; and sister of the late Primrose, Vera, Eva, Willetta, Leroy, Arthur, Norman and Clarence.

Funeral arrangements were by the Tewksbury Funeral Home, Tewksbury Center.  Private burial was at Woodlawn Cemetery. Memorial donations to the Shriners Burn Center, Attn: Memorial Donations, 51 Blossum St., Boston, MA 02114, or Trama Intervention Program of M.V., Inc., 167 East St., Methuen, MA 01844, will be appreciated.  For further information: www.tewksburyfuneralhome.com

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