John “Jack” Phillips, Jr.
Retired Chelsea Police Detective
John R. “Jack” Phillips, Jr. passed away on Tuesday, February 7 after living courageously with ongoing illnesses for the past 10 years. He was 82 years of age.
The beloved son of the late John Sr., and Mary L. (McClellan) Phillips, he received his education at Our Lady of Grace Grammar School and was a member of Chelsea High School, Class of 1958. He was married to Carol A. (Arsenault) Phillips for 60 years and raised their family of four children in Chelsea.
As a young man, Jack began working at the Boston Navy Shipyard and was later appointed a Patrolman with the Chelsea Police Department. Working with the CPD for nearly 40 years, he retired as a Narcotic’s Detective in 2002.
He was a longtime member and Trustee of the Sagamore Club in Chelsea, a Fourth-Degree member of the Chelsea Knights of Columbus and held memberships with the MA Police Association, the Chelsea Police Relief Association and the N.E. Narcotics Assoc.
His life’s devotion was to his wife and family. He was a faithful lifelong parishioner of Our Lady of Grace Church. If asked, his greatest role was that of Papa to his 20 grand and great grandchildren and “Papa Jack” to his extended family.
In addition to his parents, Jack was recently predeceased by his son, John R. Phillips, III in September of last year, a grandson Michael Swallow, his sisters: Sara Jane Wilson, Patricia Ann Mabrey and his brother, William R. Phillips.
He was the beloved husband of 60 years to Carol A. (Arsenault) Phillips,; devoted father and father-in-law of Patricia “Patti” Phillips of Chelsea, Kelley Gellar and her husband, Eric of North Reading, William R. Phillips and his wife, Christine of Townsend and the late John R. Phillips, III who is survived by his wife, Dina M. Phillips of Chelsea. He was the Cherished Papa of Christina Swallow, Richard and wife, Ashley Swallow, Baylee and Emylee Gellar, Brianna Zeck and her husband, Ryan, Kelsie Manly and her husband, Alec, Courtney Phillips, Kaitlyn Guillemette and her husband, Branden, Sr., Ryann Phillips, and the late Michael Swallow. He was the cherished great-grandfather “Papa” of Callie Mae and Caden Jack Zeck, Wyatt and Olivia Manly, Aubrey and Abigail Phillips, Krystina, Korie and Branden Guillemette, Jr., and Sadie Rain Swallow; cherished uncle of Cindy and Robert Donarumo and their daughters, Sara and Haylee Donarumo, Ron and Glenda Mabrey and John Mabrey.
Visiting hours will be held from the Welsh Funeral Home, 718 Broadway, Chelsea, on Monday, February 13 from 4 to 8 p.m. Relatives and friends are most kindly invited to attend. His Funeral will be from the Welsh Funeral Home on Tuesday, February 14 at 9 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass at Our Lady of Grace Church, 59 Nichols St., Chelsea at 10 a.m. Services will conclude with interment at Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett.
Should friends desire, contributions in Jack’s Name may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Pl., Memphis, TN 38105-1905.
WWW.StJude.org/Donate
Arrangements were given to the care and direction of the Welsh Funeral Home.
For online guest book or to send expressions of sympathy, please visit; www.WelshFH.com.
Iris Lopez Valiente
Twenty-Year Employee of the Chelsea Soldiers Home
Iris Lopez Valiente, 56, of Chelsea, formerly of Suchitepequez, Guatemala, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family at the Kaplan Hospice House on Tuesday, February 1 after a long battle with cancer.
Iris was born in Suchitepequez, Guatemala on February 5, 1966 to Manaces and Jesus, where she lived for 26 years before relocating to Chelsea in 1992. While living in Chelsea, she worked for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts at the Chelsea Soldiers Home for the last 20 years.
In 2019, Iris married her longtime companion, Julio Cesar Oseguera-Ortiz. Iris enjoyed the company of her three children: Rosa, Henner and Melvin, who gave her five beautiful grandchildren: Henner, Iris, Elmer, Graciela and Margarita. Iris loved cooking for large family gatherings and dancing in her free time. She also loved to go back to visit her family and friends in Guatemala whenever she had the opportunity. Iris will be missed by everyone who knew her. May she rest in peace.
The beloved wife to Julio Cesar Oseguera-Ortiz of Chelsea, she was the devoted mother of Rosa Elena Gonzalez-Lopez and Henner Aroldo Gonzalez-Lopez, both of Guatemala and Melvin Aurelio Gonzalez-Lopez of Chelsea; dear sister to Enio Armando-Lopez of Chelsea, Elmer Adolfo Lopez-Valiente, of Guatemala and the late Margarita Lopez-Valiente; loving grandmother to Henner Steve, Iris Leine, Elmer Humberto, Graciela Abileny, and Margarita Yamileth; loving daughter to Jesus Valiente-Perez and the late Manaces Lopez-Gonzalez.
Family and friends gathered at the Iglesia de Dios Pentecostal, 27 Crescent Avenue, Chelsea on Wednesday, February 8 from 5 to 9 p.m. and she will be laid to rest at the General Cemetery, Tiquisate, Escuintla, Guatemala at a later date. Iris will be missed by everyone who knew her. May she rest in peace.
Arrangements entrusted to the Ruggiero Family Memorial Home, 971 Saratoga Street, Boston, MA 02128.
Bach Phuong VU
Of East Boston
Bach Phuong VU, at 88 years of age, passed away on Friday, February 3 at the Life Care Center in Lynn.
He was one of six children born to the late Vu Van Huan and Dang Thi Kinh. He was raised in Quangninh, Vietnam where he worked as an experienced health herbalist producing and purveying many natural herbal supplements for personal health care.
Together with his family, he settled in East Boston 50 years ago and he was a resident at Life Care in Lynn for the last several years where he was receiving supportive care.
In addition to his parents, he was recently predeceased by his brother-in-law, Nguyen Cong Tan and a nephew, Michael Nguyen. He is survived by his siblings: Vu Phuong Can, Vu Phuong Thuan, Vu Thi Tac, Vu Phuong Kim and Vu Thi Riep. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.
Visiting hours will be held from the Welsh Funeral Home, 718 Broadway, Chelsea on Friday, February 10 from 4 to 8 p.m. Relatives and friends are most kindly invited to attend. His funeral will begin from the Welsh Funeral Home on Saturday, February 11 at 9:30 a.m. immediately followed by a Funeral Mass at St. Clement Church, 64 Warner St., Medford at 11 a.m. Services will conclude with interment at Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett.
Arrangements were given to the care and direction of the Welsh Funeral Home. For online guest book or to send expressions of sympathy, please visit; www.WelshFH.com.
Tan Cong Nguyen
March 3, 1932 – January 30, 2023
Tan Cong Nguyen, 90, passed away with his family by his side on Monday, January 30 at the Life Care Center in Lynn.
He was one of nine children born to the late Nguyen Van Huan and Khong Phi Ngoi. He grew up in Quangninh, Vietnam. Living in Vietnam, he worked on fishing boats as a commercial fisherman.
He was married to Riep Thi Vu and was a devoted father of six sons and five daughters. He settled his family in East Boston 50 years ago and was a resident of Dorchester for the past eight years.
In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by four sons: Nguyen Cong Cuong, Nguyen Cong Dung, and Nguyen Cong Kha, one daughter Nguyen Thi Luong, and one brother, Nguyen Thanh Xuan.
He is survived by his wife of 77 years Riep Thi Vu, two sons, Nguyen Cong Minh, and Nguyen Cong Thanh, four daughters, Sr. Catherine Nguyen Phuong O.P., Nguyen Thi Kim Khang, Nguyen Thi Kim Bich, and Nguyen Thi Kim Chau. He is also survived by four brothers: Nguyen Van Bao, Nguyen Van Dao, Nguyen Thanh Quan, Nguyen Van Dia, and three sisters, Nguyen Thi Vy, Nguyen Thi Phu, and Nguyen Thi Thun and 17 grandchildren.
Funeral arrangements were by the Welsh Funeral Home, 718 Broadway, Chelsea. A Funeral Mass at St. Clement Church, 64 Warner St., Medford was followed by interment at Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett.
To send expressions of sympathy, please visit: www.WelshFH.com.
Salvatore “Sal” Marino
Polaroid Retiree, 50-Year Boston Theater Stage Hand and Usher and Longstanding Member of the Chelsea Yacht Club
Salvatore F. “Sal” Marino passed away unexpectedly at his home in Chelsea on Monday morning, February 6. He was 85 years old.
Born and raised in Chelsea, the son of the late Louis and Frances (LaRosa) Marino, Salvatore attended Chelsea Public Schools and graduated from Chelsea High School, Class of 1956.
He began working for Polaroid when he was just 18 years old. A retired lab technician, he dedicated 47 years of service at Polaroid before retiring in 2002.
Sal had a love for Theater. He worked as an usher and also as a stage hand for several theaters in Boston, such as the Colonial, the Shubert, the Wilbur and the Wang Theater. Sal dedicated over 50 years working at the theaters and he was a late member of the IATSE, Local 11 in Boston. Sal was a lifelong resident of Chelsea. He loved his community and he was a longstanding member of the Chelsea Yacht Club. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.
He was the beloved brother of Charles A. Marino and his wife, Elaine of Saugus and the late Stephen Marino; dear uncle of Stephen and David Marino, Dina Pagliuca and Debbie Lochiatto. Sal was also the cherished uncle of Maria Schena and the late Robert Sasso and Leanne Sasso and is also lovingly survived by many cousins and other family members.
Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend Sal’s visiting hours in the Carafa Family Funeral Home, 389 Washington Ave., Chelsea, today, Thursday, February 9 from 8 to 10:30 a.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow the visitation at the Blessed Mother of the Morning Star Parish/Our Lady of Grace Church, 59 Nichols St., Chelsea at 11 a.m. Services will conclude with interment at Woodlawn Cemetery in Everett.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Sal’s memory may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Pl., Memphis, TN 38105 or on-line at www.stjude.org.
We encourage family and friends to visit carafafuneralhome.com to offer condolences by means of the online guest book or to send a personalized sympathy card.