Mary E. (Marino) Zappala.
Mary E. (Marino) Zappala, 92, lifelong resident of Haverhill, passed away peacefully on Saturday, Nov. 13.
She was born in Haverhill April 25, 1929, daughter of proud Italian immigrants Gaspare and Elisabetta (Ardagna) Marino. Zappala was raised by Rosaria (Ripa Catanzaro) Marino after the passing of Elisabetta.
She worked at St. Rita’s Church Rectory as a bookkeeper and also participated in the Sodality and CCD Program. She went to work at the Massachusetts State House as an executive secretary to the then-Sen. Nicholas Costello. She went back to school to further her education and graduated summa-cum-laude. Her career then brought her to the Lawrence District Court House as a juvenile probation officer until her retirement.
She was in the Italian Serenaders and a former Son’s of Italy member. Mary was the matriarch of her family and took great pleasure in family gatherings. She loved to cook Italian specialties for the family and tried to make everyone’s favorite item. Traditions were installed in each generation in order to keep the memories alive. She found solace in many types of music. Her religious beliefs were always apparent through her musical choices. Her Italian lullabies will always be a special memory to her family. A woman of deep faith, she will be greatly missed.
Zappala independently raised four children as a single parent, the late Angelo Zappala, Elizabeth (Zappala) Pearl, Rosemarie (Zappala) Deveau and husband John and Joseph Zappala and wife Lisa; grandchildren Brian Pearl and wife Bonnie, Jason Pearl and wife Danielle, Caitlin Deveau, Matthew Deveau, Stefanie Kiluk, Ariel Anderson, Danielle Anderson and Joseph B. Zappala; seven great-grandchildren and her eighth expected in December; sister of Josephine E. Edelmann and husband Richard and the late Anna M. Marino; two nephews and a niece who was Mary’s godchild; several great-nieces and great-nephews.
Arrangements by Driscoll Funeral Home.