Sybil Swartz
Of Chelsea, formerly of Winthrop
Sybil Swartz of Chelsea, formerly of Winthrop, died on March 22 at the Chelsea Jewish Nursing Home. She was 83 years old.
Born in Boston and raised in Roxbury, shortly after graduating from high school, she moved to Winthrop where she raised her family. She was a resident of Winthrop for many years until moving to neighboring Chelsea. She was a member of the Winthrop Hadassah.
The beloved wife of the late Merrill Swartz, she was the devoted mother of Kenneth Swartz and his wife, Irene, and Richard Swartz and his wife, Doreen; the dear sister of Gloria Katzman and the late Lillian Ross; the loving grandmother of Candice, Tara, Kristine and Michael. She is also survived by her great grandson Matthew.
Graveside services will be held at the New Tifereth Israel of Winthrop Cemetery, 232 Fuller St., Everett today, Thursday, March 31, at 11 a.m. Memorial observance will be held at the home of Richard and Doreen Swartz, today from 7 to 9 p.m. Memorial donations may be made to a charity of your choice. Services were entrusted to the Torf Funeral Service, Chelsea. For directions and online guestbook please visit the funeral home website: www.torffuneralservice.com
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Laura Rosa Ruiz
Of East Boston, formerly of Chelsea
Laura Rosa (Ruiz) Ruiz of East Boston, formerly of Cambridge and Chelsea, died on March 26.
She was the devoted mother of Gloria “Gory” N. Ruiz and her husband, Rene Morales, of East Boston, Jesus “Papo” Ruiz, of Texas, Joaquin “Jimmy” Ruiz of the Chelsea Fire Dept. and his wife, Teresa, of Malden and the late Edwin Ruiz; dear sister of Dolores Ruiz of Chelsea and Pascual Ruiz of the South End of Boston; cherished grandmother of 17 grandchildren and one adored great grandchild and is also survived by many fond nieces and nephews.
Her Funeral will be held from the Ruggiero Mazzarella Memorial Home, 971 Saratoga St. (Orient Heights) East Boston on Friday, April 1, at 9 a.m. with a Mass of Christian Burial in Sacred Heart Church, Brooks Street, East Boston at 10 a.m. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited. Visiting hours are today, Thursday, from 4 to 8 p.m. For complimentary transportation to and from the funeral home, please call 617 569 0990. Services will conclude with burial in St. Michael’s Cemetery, Boston. For more information, or to send an online condolence www.ruggieromh.com
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Salvatore ‘Sam’ Cerra
Retired Truck Driver
Salvatore A. “Sam” Cerra, a long time resident of Chelsea, died after a brief illness on March 28 at the Massachusetts General Hospital.
Born in Somerville, he was a US Army veteran of World War II. He was a member of Local 25 and worked as a driver for St. Johnsbury in Cambridge until his retirement in 1979.
He was the devoted husband of Grace M. (Picarello); beloved father of George Cerra of Texas and Paul Cerra and his wife, Linda, of Watertown; brother of Philip Cerra of Woburn and the late Joseph, Frank, Mary and Vincent Cerra; cherished grandfather of Michael Cerra and is also lovingly survived by many nieces and nephews.
Family and friends are kindly invited to attend his Funeral from the Smith Funeral Home, 125 Washington Avenue, Chelsea on Saturday, April 2 at 8 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass to be celebrated in St. Rose Church, 600 Broadway, Chelsea at 9 o’clock. Visiting Hours in the Smith Funeral Home will be on Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. Services will conclude with burial at Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett. To send a message of condolence to his family please visit www.smithfuneralhomes.com
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Joseph Summa
New Hampshire resident
Joseph P. Summa of Derry, NH, beloved husband of Jean R. (Neale) Summa, died suddenly on March 22.
He was born in Boston to the late Gaspar and Helena (Forte) Summa and married his childhood sweetheart, Jean, on September 9, 1962. They resided in Winthrop before moving to Derry in 1975. He fulfilled his career at Walsh Brothers Incorporated for 30 years. He belonged to the Chester Rod and Gun Club and the North End Italian Society. Mr. Summa enjoyed the company of his family and friends and will be missed.
He is survived by his wife Jean of 49 years, their children Charlene (Summa) Batten and her husband, David, of Derry, Joseph Summa of Derry, and Paul Summa and wife, Maria, of Poquoson, VA. He will truly be missed by his five grandchildren, Tyler Bennett, Athena and Christiana Summa, and Jacob and Alexander Batten. He also leaves his sister, Barbara Sullivan, of Boston, his brothers, Steven and Robert of Chelsea and Winthrop, his uncle Hugo Forte of South Dennis, as well as several nieces, nephews and cousins. He was the brother of the late Lucille Summa.
Funeral arrangements were by the Peabody Funeral Homes and Crematorium, Derry, NH. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Joslin Diabetes Center, Development Office, 1 Joslin Place, Boston, MA 02215-5306. To send a condolence or for more information, please visit, www.peabodyfuneralhome.com.
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John Zajac, Sr.
Retired Longshoreman
John Zajac, Sr., a lifelong resident of Chelsea, died on March 28 at the Chelsea Jewish Nursing Home where he had been receiving supportive care since June of 2007.
A longshoreman retiring at 62, he spent his working career at the Mystic Pier, Castle Island and the Charlestown Navy Yard.
He was the devoted husband of the late Josephine (Bryk); beloved father of John Zajac, Jr. and his wife, Diana, of Saugus and the late Maryann Zajac; brother of the late Helen Jakusiak, Alphonse, Stanley, William, Chester, Henry, Edward, Jessie and Jean Zajac; cherished grandfather of Theresa Donahue and her husband, James, of Wakefield, Maryann Martin and her husband, Roland, of Georgia, Stephanie Sylvain and her husband, Jayson, of Mansfield and Joanna Zajac-Medor and her husband, Joshua, of Wilmington. He is also lovingly survived by his great grandchildren Kareana, Eva and John Sylvain as well as many nieces and nephews.
Funeral arrangements were by the Smith Funeral Home, Chelsea. Burial was at Holy Cross Cemetery, Malden. Expressions of sympathy in his name may be made to St. Stanislaus Church.
To send a message of condolence to his family please visit www.smithfuneralhomes.com
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Doris ‘Dolly’ Tushman
Active member of the Jewish Community
Doris “Dolly” (Krentzman) Tushman of Chelsea, formerly of Medford and Worcester, died on March 26. She was 93 years old.
The beloved wife of the late Harry Tushman, she was born in Chelsea and attended the Chelsea schools and high school. She was a retired medical secretary. She was active in the Jewish community as a member of Hadassah, Temple Shalom of Medford, and a former member of Temple Emmanuel of Chelsea.
She was the devoted mother of Michael Tushman and his wife, Marjorie Williams, Betsy Agrimanakis and her husband, George, and Richard Diaz Tushman and his wife, Lucinda; the dear sister of the late Lillian Gorfinkle, Ruth Cohen, Cornelius Krentzman, Leon Krentzman, Sylvia Lundy, Irene Ringer, Harvey Krentzman, and Lawrence Krentzman; the loving grandmother of Lawrence, Jonathan, Rachel, Rafael, Kira, Melissa, Stephanie, and Antony. She is also survived by three great grandchildren.
Arrangements were by the Torf Funeral Service, Chelsea. Burial was in Everett. Contributions in her memory may be made to the Institute for Aging Research, c/o Hebrew Senior Life, 1200 Centre Street, Boston, MA 02131. For online guestbook, please visit the funeral home website: www.torffuneralservice.com.
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Judi Leiberg
Milwaukee resident who always carried the ‘Chelsea Spirit’
Judi (Weiner) Leiberg died on March 4.
Born on John Street in Chelsea, she moved to Milwaukee when she was eight years old with her late father and mother Beatrice and Louie and her sister, Barbara (Weiner) Kruck, of Milwaukee.
To those who remember her, she was a beautiful woman who always carried the Chelsea Spirit in her……always caring and doing for others,
She leaves behind two daughters, a grandaughter, a lifelong companion, and so many people that were touched by her. The Chelsea Record was delivered weekly to her as well as to her sister, Barbara, through the love of a John Street neighbor, Marion MacGinnis, who remembered the two sisters who always missed Chelsea.
So today, in honor of Judi and if you so care, send a donation to The Cancer Liver Foundation in her name or go to Revere Beach and have a hotdog and a cup of coffee.
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Dorothy Murray
Cook at Former Chelsea Naval Hospital
Dorothy (Christensen) Murray of Tewksbury, formerly of Billerica and Chelsea, died on March 25. She was 95 years old.
A retired cook at the former Chelsea Naval Hospital, she was an active participant at the Chelsea Senior Citizen Center and a volunteer worker at the Our Lady of the Assumption Church Bingo in Chelsea.
She was the beloved mother of Ruth E. Boudreau of Tewksbury and Dorothy E. and her husband, Domenic DiSalvo, of Billerica; dear sister of Edna DeCain of Nevada and the late Rev. John P. Christensen and Mary Jensen. She is also lovingly survived by six grandchildren, Karen Boudreau of Woburn, Judith Palazzo and her husband, Michael, of Wilmington, Gail Boudreau of Chelmsford, Michael DiSalvo and his wife, Genevieve, of Montreal, Daniel DiSalvo and his fiancé, Arlene, of Stow, Andrea DiSalvo and her fiancé, Matt, of Tewksbury, seven great-grandchildren and two great great-grandchildren.
Funeral arrangements were by the William R. Carafa & Son Home for Funerals, Chelsea. Burial was in Woodlawn Cemetery in Everett.
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Marion Beliveau
Former Professional Dancer
Marion Beliveau died on March 23 in Dorchester. She was 99 years old.
Born on October 8, 1911 in Everett, the daughter of the late Emanuel and Alice (Alison) Waldman, she was a 1936 graduate of Chelsea High School and worked as a secretary for John Hancock in Boston for more than 10 years. She was formerly a professional dancer in the New England area and even auditioned for the Russian Ballet.
She was the wife of the late Francis A. Beliveau and is survived by her son, Andrew Beliveau, her daughter, Andrea Wilson, of W. Peabody, three grandchildren, Kerry Wilson, Nicholas Beliveau and Adam Beliveau; two great grandchildren and one niece.
Funeral arrangements were entrusted to the Brewitt Funeral Home, Raymond, NH. Burial was at Old Pine Grove Cemetery, Raymond, NH. Memorial donations may be made to Perkins School for the Blind, 175 North Beacon St. Watertown, MA 02472. For guest book, please visit www.brewittfuneralhome.com
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Gloria Contardo
Hairdresser and former owner of Vogue Restaurant and Lounge in Saugus
Gloria T. (Barone) Contardo of Lynnfield died on March 22. She was 76 years old.
Born in Chelsea on January 30, 1935 to the late Carlo and Anna (Pagliuca) Barone, she grew up in Chelsea where she attended Our Lady of Grace Parochial School, graduated from Boston Trade School of Cosmotology and received her license for hairdressing. She worked as a hairdresser at Brooksby Village in Peabody for eight years and also worked as a hairdresser for many years at several hair salons in the Everett Square area including Dante’s.
She and her husband were the former owners of The Vogue Restaurant & Lounge on Route 99 in Saugus. She enjoyed working in real estate, sewing and most of all, her zest for life was her family and especially her grandchildren.
She was the wife of 54 years of Richard M. Contardo; devoted mother of Lisa A. Rizzo and her late husband, Richard, of Danvers, Richard Contardo and his wife, Marnie Goulding-Contardo, of Peabody and David Contardo and his wife, Kimberly, of Lynnfield; loving grandmother of Richard Rizzo, Nicholas and Jac Contardo, Cohle and Cashius Contardo; beloved sister of the late Louis C. Barone and sister-in-law of Josephine Barone of Saugus; loving aunt of Dorothea, Roxann, Melody, Heidi and many other nieces and nephews.
Funeral arrangements were by the Carr Funeral Home, Wakefield/Melrose line. Burial was at Puritan Lawn Memorial Park, Peabody. In lieu of flowers, kindly make a memorial donation in her name to Hospice of the North Shore & Greater Boston, 75 Sylvan St., Suite B-102, Danvers, MA 01923. For obituary and on line condolences www.carrfuneral.com
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Nelson Martell
Avid Classic Car Buff
Nelson Martell of Malden, formerly of Chelsea, died on March 26 at the Melrose-Wakefield Hospital ater a long history of illness over the last 15 years. He was 59 years old.
Born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, he moved to Chelsea at 17 years old. For many years, prior to his declining health, he worked as a courier for Mt. Auburn Hospital in Cambridge. He was a resident of Malden for the last 25 years. He was devoted to his family especially his grandchildren and was known as an avid classic car buff.
He was the devoted husband of Kathleen (Nugent); beloved father of Christine Graffeo and her husband, Charles, of Saugus and Richard Thibert and his wife, Tara, of Freckenham, England; brother of Saturnino Martell of Puerto Rico, Martin Martell of Chelsea, Monserrate Nieves, Gloria Carmenatty and Margarita Martell-Ortiz, all of Florida, and the late Luis Martell; cherished grandfather of Nicholas and C.J. Graffeo and is also lovingly survived by his mother-in-law Winifred Nugent of Malden as well as many nieces, nephews and friends.
Family and friends are kindly invited to attend his Funeral from the Smith Funeral Home, 125 Washington Avenue, Chelsea on Friday, April 1 at 9 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass to be celebrated in Sacred Hearts Church, 315 Main Street, Malden at 10 o’clock. Visiting Hours in the Smith Funeral Home will be today, Thursday, from 4 to 8 p.m. Services will conclude with burial at Forestdale Cemetery, Malden. Expressions of sympathy in his name may be made to The Sisters of Providence, 1 Sisters Providence, St. Mary of the Woods, Indiana 47876-1007 or to Sacred Hearts Church. To send a message of condolence to his family, please visit www.smithfuneralhomes.com