Chester Swankowski, Jr.
Past Grand Knight of Chelsea Knights of Columbus
A Mass of Christian Burial was said in Our Lady of Grace Church by the Rev. James Barry for Chester J. Swankowski, Jr. who passed away on Saturday, Jan. 6 at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Boston after a sudden onset of overwhelming illness. He was 75 years old.
Born and raised in Chelsea, he was the only son of the late Chester J. Swankowski, Sr. and Angelina (Daloia) Swankowski. Chester attended local Schools, graduated from Chelsea High School and later graduated from Boston’s Wilfred Beauty Academy. He established and operated Chester’s Beauty Salon for several years. The salon was formerly located on Sagamore Avenue in Chelsea’s Prattville neighborhood. Chester also worked for many years as a school custodian at Northeast Regional Vocational H.S. in Wakefield.
He married the former Joan A. Memmolo and the couple recently celebrated their 50 th wedding anniversary. He and his wife spent several years between their Chelsea home and their home in Murrells Inlet, SC. Following their retirement, they took fulltime residence in South Carolina 10 years ago.
Chester was a Fourth Degree Knight and Past Grand Knight with Chelsea Council #83, Knights of Columbus. He was an avid golfer and an all around sports fan favoring the NE Patriots for many many years.
He leaves behind his beloved wife of 50 years, Joan A. (Memmolo) Swankowski. He was also the devoted father of Chester J. Swankowski, III and his wife, Suzanne of Tewksbury and Cheri L. Swankowski and her husband, Dominic Pegnato, III of Methuen and the dear brother of Cheryl Sullivan of Brockton. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews Funeral Arrangements were by the Anthony Memorial – Frank A. Welsh & Sons Funeral Home. Should friends desire, memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN. 38105 (StJude. ORG)
For directions or to send expressions of sympathy, please visit www.WelshFuneralHome.com
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Wayne DePietro
Will be missed by all who knew him
Wayne DePietro of Revere, formerly of Chelsea, died at the age of 58.
Wayne enjoyed nothing more than riding his Harley Davidson. He will be missed by all who knew him.
He was the loving fiancé of Marian Wright of Revere, beloved son of the late Anthony and Rose (Forgione) DePietro, dear brother of Elaine Verro of Manchester, NH, Rose DePietro of Derry, NH, and the late Anthony, George and Louis DePietro and is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews.
A visitation will be held on Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Paul Buonfiglio & Sons-Bruno Funeral Home, 128 Revere St., Revere. His Funeral will be held from the funeral home on Saturday Jan. 27 at 10 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass at St. Anthony’s Church at 11 a.m. Relatives and friends are kindly invited. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-1905. For guest book, please visit www.Buonfiglio.com
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Rita White
Mass. Dept. of Revenue retiree
Family and friends are invited to attend visiting hours on Friday, Jan. 26 beginning at 9 a.m. in the Vertuccio & Smith Home for Funerals, 773 Broadway (Rte. 107), Revere for Rita J. (Voke) White who passed after a brief illness on Sunday, Jan. 21 at Hathorne Hill at Danvers. She was 94 years old. Her funeral will be conducted from the funeral home following the visitation with a Funeral Mass in the Immaculate Conception Church (Corner of Beach St. & Winthrop Ave.) Revere at 11 a.m. Interment will follow immediately at Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett.
Mrs. White was born to the late Richard A. Voke and Margaret (Roche) Voke in Chelsea on July 29, 1923. She was a graduate of Our Lady of Grace Elementary School and a member of the 1941 graduating class at St. Rose Catholic High School in Chelsea. In 1950, she and her dear late husband, Clerk of the Chelsea Court, Stephen J. White, moved to Reservoir Avenue in Revere, where she remained for 68 years until just months ago when she became a resident of Hathorne Hill in Danvers.
After the unexpected and sad death of her husband in November of 1974, Rita returned to the work force at the Department of Revenue where she was an administrative assistant for over 15 years, retiring at age 70 in 1993.
She was the quintessence of a mom, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and auntie to so many. She certainly enjoyed her role as the matriarch of the Voke and White families.
She was an avid Red Sox and Patriots fan, going back to the days when Joe Sullivan was their owner. And quite notably, having passed on “Championship Sunday,” one cannot help but wonder at the coincidence of timing.
She was the cherished mother of Stephen R. White and his wife, Patricia of Easton, Richard M. White and his wife, Caryn of Peabody, Joanne M. Hassler and her husband, Charles of St. Augustine, Florida, William J. White and his wife, Catherine of Truckee, CA and Robert E. White and his wife, Tracy of Point Richmond, CA; the proud grandmother to Erin McCosh and her husband, Daniel of Plymouth, Kelly White of Peabody, Stephen J. White and his wife, Christina of Charlestown, Kristen Allen of St. Augustine, Florida, Brian Hassler and his wife, Julie of Norwood, Alana White of
Colorado, Adam White and his wife, Stephanie, Caitlin White and Christopher White, all of Point Richmond, CA. She is also lovingly survived by five great-grandchildren: Thomas, Owen, Brian Jr., Ava and Cameron. She was the dear sister to the late Edward “Bud” Voke.
In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the 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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Maryann Sullivan
Salvation Army Soldier and Volunteer
Maryann Sullivan of Chelsea passed away peacefully on Jan. 21. Born on Jan. 19, 1943, she was 75 years old.
She will always be loved and dearly missed.
One of the strongest and most loving people ever, she was a soldier at the Salvation Army as well as a volunteer.
Maryann leaves behind her loving husband, Joseph Sullivan, three sons: Joseph G., Robert G. and
Thomas G.; her two daughters, Diane and Carol and her dog, Mr. Joe.
Services will be held at the Salvation Army, 258 Chestnut Street, Chelsea on Sunday, Jan. 28 at 11 a.m.
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Ernest Copello
Retired Chelsea Fire Captain
Ernest C. Copello of Chelsea passed away surrounded by his caring family in the peaceful surroundings of his
home of 55 years on Monday evening, Jan. 22.
Born and raised in Chelsea, he was
the youngest of 17 children given to the union of Joseph H. and Annie T.
(O’Connor) Copello. Ernie grew up in the Mill Hill neighborhood of Chelsea and attended Chelsea High School. He enlisted in the US Navy during World War II and served as a Gunners Mate in the south pacific theater. He was honorably discharged in 1948 and returned to Chelsea.
He worked for a short time in the Boston Naval Shipyard in Charlestown before his appointment to the Chelsea Fire Department. He married the former Theresa R. Legere and together they shared 55 years of marriage raising their six children in Chelsea.
Ernie was appointed as a permanent firefighter in 1963 and was assigned to Chelsea Engine 5 and later to Engine 1. He was a proud member of Chelsea Firefighters Union Local 937. Along his 35 year career, he was promoted to Lieutenant and Captain and retired in 1987.
Ernie also held various jobs, working as a house painter, store clerk for Bernstein’s Electric and as a security officer at Suffolk Downs. During his retirement, he and his wife enjoyed traveling cross country and to
parts of Canada in their RV.
In addition to his parents and several siblings, Ernie was also predeceased by his beloved wife, Theresa R. Copello in 2006; his brothers:
John P. Sr, Arthur and Chester Copello, and sisters, Florence and Eleanor Copello, Sarah Melisi, Helen Nelson, Rose Scanell and Marge Favreau.
He was the devoted father of Dianne Buonopane and her husband, Stephen of Cedartown, GA, Betty Savosik and her late husband, Michael of Joppa, MD, Joseph Copello and his wife, Ellen Sue of
Kingston, NH, Donna Copello of Chelsea, George Copello and his wife, Kathy of Derry, NH and Michael Copello and his wife, Grisel of Lynn and the dear brother of Eileen Favreau of Billerica, He is also survived by 15 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren, many
nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews and by his pet dog “Keeper.”
His Funeral will begin from the Frank A. Welsh & Sons Funeral Home, 718 Broadway, Chelsea on Saturday, Jan. 27 at 9:30 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass at Our
Lady of Grace Church, 59 Nichols St., Chelsea at 10:30 a.m. Services will conclude with Interment at Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett. Relatives and friends are most kindly invited to attend. Visiting hours will be held at the Welsh Funeral Home on Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. Should friends desire, contributions in his memory may be made to a charity of their choice. For directions or to send expressions of sympathy, please visit www.WelshFuneralHome.com
Frank A. Welsh & Sons Funeral Home is fully handicap accessible, ample parking opposite Funeral Home.
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Harry Ells, Jr.
Of Chelsea
Harry M. Ells, Jr. passed away on Saturday Jan. 20 at Eastpointe Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Chelsea where he had been receiving supportive care for the past two years. He was 92 years old.
Born and raised in Chelsea, he was a loving son of the late Harry M. and Mary Jane (Conley) Ells and his second mother, Alice (Ingvaldsen) Ells. He attended St. Rose Grammar and local schools but left school at a young age and began working to better support his parents and younger siblings at home.
In April of 1952, he married the former Claire L. Costello. Over the course of the next 64 years, they resided in Chelsea and raised their family of two sons and two daughters.
Harry was appointed to the Chelsea Fire Department in 1963 and retired from the department nearly completing 30 years of service. He was widowed 20 months ago with the passing of his beloved wife, Claire L. (Costello) Ells.
He was a founding/charter member of the Cary Sq. Assoc. in Chelsea and a proud member of Chelsea Firefighters Union Local 937. Harry enjoyed candlepin bowling and bowled with several local leagues.
In addition to his wife and parents, Harry was also preceded in death by his siblings; the late Helen (Ells) Arnold, and Charles, John, Francis, William, Andrew and Robert Ells. He was the devoted father of Harry M. Ells III and his wife, Patricia of Everett, Susan Silvia and her husband, Michael of Reading, Barbara Camoscio and her husband, Anthony of Tewksbury and Edward Ells and his wife, Eileen of Chelsea. He was the loved and cherished grandfather of Jillian Ells, Jonathan and Tiffany Ells, Daniel and Paula Silvia, Mary Silvia, Michael and Kathy Camoscio and David Camoscio; adoring great-grandfather of Elizabeth Ells, Molly Camoscio, Catherine Ells and two week old Griffin Silvia and the dear brother of Pauline (Ells) Mahoney of Nahant and Marie Ells of Chelsea. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews.
Funeral arrangements were by the Frank A. Welsh & Sons Funeral Home, Chelsea. Interment was at Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett. Should friends desire, contributions in his memory may be made to a charity of their choice.