Steven Alan Smith
Longtime Airline Industry Manager
Steven Alan Smith, 69, of Lakeville, MN passed away unexpectedly from a cardiac event at his lake home in Cumberland, WI on December 17. He was born in Boston to Raymond Alexander and Mary Eileen (Griffin) Smith and grew up in Winthrop.
Steve and Cathy were high school sweethearts and soulmates who were inseparable from early on. They loved to travel together all over the globe. Steve was a caretaker for Cathy while she was battling and recovering from breast cancer. He loved spending time with his family, friends and grandkids – his favorite role most of all was that of grandpa (aka Gump).
Steve was an airline industry manager for nearly 40 years. He started his career in 1979 with Northwest Airlines in Boston. His roles took him to Minneapolis, Memphis and Atlanta. He came out of retirement to end his career back in Boston with American Airlines. What he loved most about his job were the people. He was admired by superiors and subordinates alike – bringing skills of leadership, diplomacy and negotiation to his role. He could handle the thorniest of personnel issues and leave everyone feeling heard.
Steve was civically engaged and often volunteering in his community. He looked forward to his annual pilgrimage to Twins/Red Sox spring training games. A Boston transplant with a loyalty to his Boston teams, he did become a Twins fan… except for when the Red Sox were playing. Ever the political junkie, he loved to wind people up, but ultimately he was seeking deeper understanding. Steve always exuded consideration for others and a genuine curiosity for understanding different points of view. The twinkle in his eye rarely left – and that humor and joyfulness will be remembered by many.
Steve will be dearly missed by his loving wife of 44 years, Cathleen “Cathy†Richardson Smith; sons, Christopher Steven (Kellee) Smith and Matthew Justin (Amanda) Smith; grandchildren, Bodee James, Paislee Rose, Russell Christopher and Leon Murphy Smith, plus one on the way; siblings, Jimmy Smith, Peggy Masella, Robert (Elaine) Smith and Lisa (James) Robbins. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ray and Eileen, and sister, Suzanne Smith.
A celebration of life ceremony will be planned for a later date, details forthcoming in Spring of 2023.
Skinner Funeral Home of Cumberland, WI is serving the family.
Vincent Maurici
Federal Reserve Bank Retiree
Vincent “Jimmy†Maurici of Winthrop passed away at home on December 18. He was 91 years old.
Born in East Boston, he was the beloved son of the late Angelina and Placido Maurici. A resident of Winthrop for over 32 years, he was employed in the accounting department at the Federal Reserve Bank prior to his retirement.
He was the devoted husband of the late Mary Jane (Clark) and the loving father of the late Evelyn Jane Maurici, dear brother of Angelo Maurici and his wife, Victoria and the late Salvatore Maurici; loving uncle of Angela Maurici Ahern and her husband, Richard, Marina Maurici Hodgetts and her husband, Erik, Mary Jane Maurici Towse and her husband, Robert, Suzanne Maurici and Salvatore Maurici.
Family and friends are cordially invited to attend the visitation from the Caggiano-O’Maley-Frazier Funeral Home, Winthrop today, Thursday, December 22 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. followed by a funeral service in the funeral home at 12 noon. Interment will be private.
A special thanks to the Visiting Angels and the Purple Nurse for their care and compassion shown to Mr. Maurici.
To sign the online guestbook, go to www.caggianofuneralhome.com.
John Faia
Barber, Worked at Faia’s Barber Shop in Winthrop
John A. Faia, 79, of Winthrop passed away on December 16, 2022. He was 79 years old.
The beloved husband of the late Louise O. (O’Brien) Faia, he was born in Lynn, the cherished son of the late John and Phyllis (Bryder) Faia.
John was a Vietnam War veteran serving in the United States Marine Corps from 1962-1966. A barber by trade, he worked in Gio’s Barber Shop in Winthrop.
John was the devoted father of Kerrie L. Faia of Lynn, the dear brother of the late Delores Moody and Phyllis Sperounis.
A Funeral Service with military honors will be held in the Massachusetts National Cemetery, Connery Avenue. Bourne today, Thursday, December 22 at 12:45 p.m. Please arrive at the gate by 12:30 p.m. Relatives and friends are invited. Donations in his name can be made to the MSPCA, 350 S. Huntington Ave, Jamaica Plain, MA. 02130.
Funeral arrangements are from the Maurice W. Kirby Funeral Home, 210 Winthrop St., Winthrop.
To sign John’s guestbook, please visit: www.mauricekirbyfh.com.
Andrea Melanson
Now Resting in Peace in God’s Care
Andrea M. (Rush) Melanson of Winthrop passed away on December 11 after a long illness at the Dana Farber Hospital. The loving daughter of John and Jacqueline (Reilly) Rush of Winthrop, she was the loving sister of John Rush of Murray, UT, Mark Rush of Hope Mills, NC and the late Matt and Michael Rush and the dear aunt of Jake, Nick, Reilly, Christina, Lorenzo, Mike, Andrew, Chris, Tyler and Savannah.
Andrea is resting in peace now in God’s care. She will be missed by all who knew and loved her.
Andrea’s funeral service will be private for family only. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be made to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Ave., Boston, MA. 02215.
Funeral arrangements were from the Maurice W. Kirby Funeral Home, 210 Winthrop St., Winthrop. To sign Andrea’s guestbook, please visit: www.mauricekirbyfh.com.
Paul Flynn
Retired Boston Fire Lieutenant
Paul Flynn, 95, of Winthrop passed away peacefully at home on December 14 surrounded by his loving children.
Born in the City of Cambridge, he moved to Winthrop as a child and eventually settled down and raised his family.
At the age of 17, Paul joined the United States Navy in 1944, during his years in the Navy he trained with special combat units, served on the Island of Saipan during WWII and in the Korean War. He served on the Destroyers U.S.S. English DD-696, U.S.S Compton DD-705 and the LST 32. Following his military service, he was in the Merchant Marine from 1952-1957. In 1957, he joined the Boston Fire Department. During his 35 years with the Boston Fire Department, he spent most of his career at Ladder 1 located in downtown North End and eventually retiring at 65 as a Lieutenant of the Tower Company in Boston.
After retirement he loved to spend many hours outside either gardening tomatoes or just reading on his swing. If he wasn’t traveling with Paula, you could find Paul enjoying his daily visits to the local coffee shop where he would meet his friends. He loved the Red Sox, animals, dancing, music and had a great sense of humor. He was admired and loved by all.
He was a devoted husband for over 61 years to the late Paula (Anderson) Flynn and was the loving father of Danny Flynn and his girlfriend, Barbara Troy of Winthrop, Patricia Flynn of Winthrop, Tommy Flynn and his wife, Catherine of Wilmington and Kathleen Flynn of Wilmington; brother to the late Frances Flynn; cherished grandfather (RARA) of Michael, Patrick and Connor and also survived by many loving nieces, nephews and his cat, Flynnie.
Services were private.
To sign the online guestbook, go to www.caggianofuneralhome.com.
Arrangements were under the direction of the Caggiano-O’Maley-Frazier Funeral Home, Winthrop.
Mary Stefano
Hairstylist, Beauty Merchandiser and Winthrop Town Meeting Member
Mary Paula (Gravallese) Stefano, 80, passed away on December 14 after a courageous battle with Alzheimer’s.
Born in Malden, the beloved daughter of John M. and Camille M. (Casella) Gravallese, she was raised in East Boston, where she attended Fitton. She later obtained her hair dressing license and was employed as a stylist and teacher at Solari Hair Salon in Winthrop.
She married Frederick Stefano, Jr., in 1964, after a seven-year courtship, and enjoyed almost 60 years of marriage.
The couple started their life together on St. Andrew Road in Orient Heights and then moved to Winthrop, where they raised their daughters.
Mary was well known in the community and was busy working from home, cutting, coloring, and perming the hair of her friends and neighbors.
She enjoyed all the community had to offer, including being a town meeting member, spending days at Winthrop Beach with friends and family and riding her bike, alongside the other moms, with her toddler daughter on the back.
She eventually became a beauty merchandiser for Revlon and later represented Lancôme at Macy’s. Everyone who knew her admired her impeccable style and beauty.
Family brought Mary happiness. She and her daughters were very close, and she found further joy with the birth of her grandchildren.
She was fortunate to have many lifelong friends from childhood, in addition to those she made throughout her life.
Mary was the number one fan of her husband’s artwork. Above all, she loved to travel throughout North America and Europe.
In later life, she was her husband’s companion in his golf cart, riding around the course at the Winthrop Golf Club, and on many days, Mary and Fred could be spotted walking along the shore of Constitution Beach in East Boston.
Mary took pleasure in spending time at her daughter’s New Hampshire lake house, so it was fitting that for her final years, she was cared for with love and dignity by the wonderful staff at Grace House in Windham.
Mary was the cherished wife of Frederick of Winthrop; devoted mother of Lisa Stefano of Winthrop and Jennifer and Brian Becker of Pelham, New Hampshire; dear grandmother (“May Mayâ€) of Elizabeth and the late Kathryn Haggerty of Winthrop and Andrew and Aiden Becker, both of Pelham, New Hampshire. She was the treasured sister of John J. Gravallese and his late wife Roberta, both of Wakefield and the late Richard Gravallese. Mary is also lovingly survived by many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.
Family and friends are invited to attend visiting hours at Vertuccio & Smith Home for Funerals, 773 Broadway (Route 107), Revere, on Wednesday, December 28 from 4 to 7 p.m.
Funeral services will begin from the funeral home on Thursday, December 29 at 10 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass at St. Joseph-St. Lazarus Church, 59 Ashley Street, East Boston, at 11 a.m. Interment will be held privately.
In lieu of flowers, remembrances in her name may be made to Uncommon Threads (uncommonthreads.org/monetary-donations; specify Mary’s name in the comment section).
Online condolences may be made by visiting vertuccioandsmith.com.
Funeral arrangements entrusted to the care and direction of the Vertuccio & Smith, Home for Funerals, Revere.