Jean Hastings Yres
World Traveler, Scuba Diver and Devoted Red Sox Fan
Jean Hastings Yres, long time resident of Charlestown, world traveler, scuba diver, and devoted Red Sox fan, died peacefully October 2 after a half-year struggle with cancer. She was 88 years old.
She was born in Illinois in 1923, daughter of the late Ruth Beebe and Rolland Thomas Rankin Hastings. She grew up in Highland Park, but later moved to California with her family as a teenager, and finished high school in Los Gatos. She attended Mills College in from 1940 to 1943 and married Thomas Russell Ayres, of Wallingford, Connecticut, in 1944. The newlyweds moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts so that Tom Ayres could attend law school, and later to Wellesley Hills to raise a family, which included two sons, Tom Jr. and John.
Her husband was a Vice President of the Old Colony Trust Company in Boston. Jeanie Ayres, besides raising her children, was active in the local community, an amateur 16mm cinematographer, and studied Italian, among other avocations.
The couple were seasoned travelers who took frequent trips to Europe, the Bahamas, and pre-Castro Cuba. After her husband’s untimely death in 1966, she moved to Boston’s waterfront area in the North End, then in the earliest stages of redevelopment, and a few years later to a refurbished historical brownstone in Charlestown.
She worked for more than three decades as an office manager at Finegold Alexander & Associates, one of Boston’s leading architectural firms focusing on historical restoration and adaptive use. She continued to travel extensively, including a safari in Africa with her dear friend, Roz Oakes, and especially after age 64 when she took up scuba diving. Her pursuit of dive adventures took her (and occasionally her son, John, also an avid diver) to the far corners of the world. Papua New Guinea and the Great Barrier Reef of Australia were favorite destinations. She also organized numerous Christmas trips to Mexico and Hawaii for her family and grandchildren.
Jeanie will be remembered for her positivity (happy, happy, happy!), generosity, bright colors, and above all, love of family.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Tom, and brother, Rollie Hastings, and is survived by her sister, Lydia Stevens, her sons, Tom Jr. and John, and her grandchildren, Mallory and Nathaniel. A memorial scholarship fund has been set up: the Thomas R. and Jean H. Ayres Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Choate Rosemary Hall Development Office, 333 Christian Street, Wallingford, CT. A celebration of life for Jeanie is planned: contact Tom Jr. or John for details.
–
Catena ‘Tina’ Pellegrino
North End resident
Catena “Tina†Pellegrino of the North End, formerly of East Boston, died on October 4.
She was the beloved wife of the late Joseph Pellegrino; loving mother of Anthony Pellegrino of Dorchester, Joseph Pellegrino of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and Nancy Pellegrino of Woburn; cherished grandmother of Tina, Jessie, Anthony, Sam, Joseph, Maryann, Casey and Bianca and great-grandmother of Caleb and Gianna; dear sister of the late Marion Murphy and is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews.
Funeral arrangements were by the Rapino Memorial Home, Chelsea St. (Maverick Sq.) East Boston. Burial was in Massachusetts National Cemetery, Bourne. To leave online condolences visit www.rapinomemorialhome.com
–
Anthony Rizzo
Of Medford, formerly of the North End
Anthony “Tony” Rizzo of Medford, formerly of Somerville and Boston’s North End, died on October 1.
He was the beloved husband of Mary J. (Grasso) Rizzo; father of Elaine Gaughan and her husband, Michael of Medford, and Joanne Crosley and her husband, Mitchell of Middleton; loving grandfather of Erik DeVivo of Nashua, NH, Michael DeVivo of Medford, Sean and Marisa Crosley, both of Middleton; brother of Katherine “Katie” Giangrande of Medford and the late Paul Rizzo and is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews.
Funeral arrangements were entrusted to the Russo Funeral Home, Medford. Burial was at St. Michael Cemetery, Boston. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Perkins School for the Blind, c/o Trust Dept., 175 North Beacon St., Watertown, MA 02172. For obituary or to leave an online message of condolence please visit www.dellorusso.net
–
Ralph Zanfani
Of Chelsea, formerly of the North End
Ralph J. Zanfani of Chelsea, formerly of West Roxbury and the North End of Boston, died on Sept 30. He was 83 years old.
A US Army veteran of the Korean War, he was born and raised in the North End.
He was the beloved husband of the late Anna A. (DeCicco) Zanfani; loving son of the late Pelligrino and Maria (Silva) Zanfani; dear brother of the late Angelina Carmosino, Frances Corolla, Louisa Bono, Julia Spinale, Rosemary Zanfani, Primo, Victor, John, James and Charles Zanfani and is also survived by many nieces, nephews, great and great grandnieces and nephews and many cousins in Pozzolo, Italy.
Funeral arrangements were by the Frank A. Welsh & Sons Funeral Home, Chelsea. Burial was in St. Michael Cemetery in Roslindale. To send expressions of sympathy, please visit www.WelshFuneralHome.com
–
John ‘Caesar’ Taglieri
Of Las Vegas, formerly of the North End
John C. “Caesar” Taglieri of Las Vegas, formerly of the North End of Boston, died on September 26. He was 88 years old.
A US Army veteran of World War II, he was the beloved husband of Theresa “Terry” A. (Ciriello) Taglieri; devoted father of Stephen of the North End, Maria Yotti and her husband, Glenn of Virginia and the late John Taglieri; son of the late Giacomo and Maria (Como) Taglieri. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews and late brothers and sisters.
His Funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Leornard’s Church in the North End. Burial was at St. Joseph Cemetery, W. Roxbury. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to the Nathan Adelson Hospice, 4141 Swenson St., Las Vegas, NV 89119. www.kraw-kornackfuneralhome.com