Ralph Hodgkins
Worked for Fulton Packing, Eagle Plumbing
Ralph A. Hodgkins of Winthrop died at his home on November 26. He was 69 years old.
Mr. Hodgkins was employed as a production manager for Fulton Packing Company for many years. After retiring from there, he was presently working for Eagle Plumbing.
He was the beloved husband of Mary F. (Cadigan) Hodgkins; devoted father of Lisa M. Ferrecchia and her husband, Scott, of Marlborough, Susan B. DeBoth and her husband, Kevin, of Sanford, ME, and Karen L. Hodgkins of Winthrop; cherished Papa to Brittany and Alexander Ferrecchia of Marlborough, and Korey and Haley DeBoth of Sanford, ME; cherished son of the late Frank O. and Geraldine E. (Nelson) Moriarty; dear brother of Nancy Goulet of Goffstown, NH, and John Moriarty of California. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, cousins and in-laws.
Funeral arrangements were by the Maurice W. Kirby Funeral Home, Winthrop. Burial was in Winthrop Cemetery (Belle Isle Section). In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St John the Evangelist Church, 320 Winthrop St, Winthrop, MA. 02152, or to any of the multiple organizations to which he was charitable.
The family wishes to thank the staff at the Brigham and Woman’s Hospital and that of Partners Hospice for their care and support during this difficult time. For guestbook, go to www.mauricekirbyfh.com.
Henry Gill Jr.
Attorney, retired U.S. Naval Reserve Capt.
Henry A. (Harry) Gill, Jr. died peacefully on November 29 in Tampa, Florida after a long illness.
He was a gifted attorney, a retired Captain in the U. S. Naval Reserve, a dedicated participant in civic affairs and an active member of the Sacred Heart Church Saint Vincent dePaul Society. He loved the Red Sox, Boston College, the Bucs and the law, but family meant everything to him.  He adored his grandchildren and treasured each moment he spent with them, sharing their every activity and celebration.
He was the beloved husband of Peggy Ann (Bostick), the devoted father of Alicia (Rossiter) and Henry III, both of Tampa, and Jaymes of New Jersey and the cherished grandfather of Kylee, Molly, Hayley, Henry IV, Cassidy and Lauren. The son of the late Town Accountant Henry A. and Alice (Donovan) Gill, he grew up on Pleasant Street in Winthrop with his four brothers, Rev. David S.J., John (Kevin), Richard and Peter.
Relatives and friends are cordially invited to a Celebration of Life Mass in his memory at St. John the Evangelist Church on December 29, at 10 a.m.
Doreen O’Donnell
Supervisor for CRW-Healthcare
Doreen M. (Maguire) O’Donnell died unexpectedly at her Revere home on November 28. She was 66 years old.
Born in Boston, she was a lifelong resident of Revere and an graduate of Immaculate Conception Grammar and High School and of Regis College, Class of 1966. She began her career with Chelsea-Revere-Winthrop Elder Healthcare in 1985 and has been a Supervisor of the Social Workers Division for more than 20 years. She was a past president and member of the Immaculata Guild.
She was the most devoted mother of James T. O’Donnell and his wife, Shannan K., of Revere and Mary-Margaret Zablocki and her husband, John C., of Fairfield, CT; cherished grandmother of Savanah A., Sabrina J. Maguire and Caitlyn R. O’Donnell, all of Revere and Mary Katherine Zablocki of Fairfield, CT.; the dear sister of Sharon M. Ranno of Orlando, Florida, the aunt and Godmother to Nicole M. Davis and her husband, W. Spencer Davis and the grand aunt of S. Alex and Hope M. Davis, all of Washington DC. She is also lovingly survived by two uncles.
Family and friends are invited to attend visiting hours on Thursday, December 2 from 4 to 8 p.m. in the Vertuccio & Smith Home for Funerals, 773 Broadway, (Route 107) Revere. Her Funeral will be conducted from the Funeral Home on Friday, December 3 at 9:30 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass in the Immaculate Conception Church, Revere at 10:30 a.m. Entombment will be in Holy Cross Community Mausoleum, Malden. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that remembrances be made to the ALS Association-Mass Chapter, 320 Norwod Park South, Norwood, MA 2062 (www.webma.alsa.org.)
Natalie Furlong
Longtime town activist, education advocate
Natalie R. (Scigliano) Furlong of Dartmouth, formerly of Winthrop, died on Friday evening, November 26, at the Sacred Heart Home in New Bedford. She was 95 years old.
The wife of the late Thomas J. Furlong, she was born in Revere, the daughter of the late Alfred Scigliano (member of the Massachusetts Legislature) and Sabina (Repetto) Scigliano. A graduate of Simmons College in 1936, she worked for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts prior to her marriage. Throughout her life in Winthrop, she was a strong advocate for education as a Town Meeting Member, a volunteer for the Winthrop Public Schools, a legal secretary with her husband’s law practice, a Sunday School Teacher, a volunteer for church activities and fundraisers.
At age 78, she researched and wrote an extensive church history for the Holy Rosary Parish’s Fortieth Year Celebration. She played in Mother-Son Little League Games and participated in the 4th of July Parade even up until the age of 94, when as the Grand Marshall, she proudly rode through town in a convertible and waved to her many Winthrop friends.
Mrs. was affectionately referred to as “Nana†by her grandchildren, who loved to talk about how she stored her crackers in the oven and how she rarely wore anything that wasn’t the color blue. She was always up for a good laugh especially if it came at her own expense, and it often did when she was opening presents out of turn on Christmas morning or panicking as time ran out on her during a family board game. She was an avid Red Sox fan who spent many evenings watching games and many mornings reading box scores. She was proofreading her grandchildren’s schoolwork throughout her eighties and was tubing behind a ski boat at age 85.
Her life is celebrated by her loving family including two daughters and a son; Natalie Graceffa and her husband, Al, of East Winthrop, Maine; Attorney Thomas J. Furlong, Jr. of Winthrop; and Anne Kelly and her husband, Thomas, of Dartmouth; seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren; Anne (Graceffa) Middleton married to Scott, and their children, Natalie, Trey, Calvin, Sam; Charles Graceffa married to Annie, and their children Angelina, Rosa, Anthony, Joseph; Joseph Graceffa; Michael Kelly married to Deborah and their daughter Nora; Carline Kelly; Kerri Furlong and Sara Furlong.
Funeral arrangements were by the Porcella Funeral Home, (Beachmont) Revere. Burial was in Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Winthrop Public Library, Winthrop, MA, 02152, in memory of Natalie R. Furlong. Natalie Rose was a lover of blue; if you own it, wear it too. For directions www.Bisbee-Porcella.com.
Noreen Dunbar
Worked for Marriott
Noreen (Mortimer) Dunbar of East Boston died on November 23.
A member of Post 4, Itam and a Marriott Corp. employee, she was the devoted mother of Frank and Darlene DiNublia, both of Revere; dear sister of Vivian Surette of South Carolina, Jerry Surette of Ipswich and Maryellen Foisey of Maine; cherished grandmother of Kayla, Frank lll and Shawn .
In Celebration of her life, a Mass will be held in Sacred Heart Church, Brooks Street, East Boston on Saturday, December 4 at 11 a.m. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited. Arrangements are by the Ruggiero Mazzarella Memorial Home. For more information or to send an online condolence, visit: www.ruggieromh.com.
Steven Wright
Avid Ham Radio operator, guitarist
Steven R. Wright of Winthrop died suddenly at his home on November 26. He was 49 years old.
An avid Ham Radio Operator who enjoyed playing the guitar in many bands, he was the beloved husband of Sharonlee (McCarthy) Wright; devoted father of Jon, Makenna, and Sarajean Wright, all of Winthrop. Born in Winthrop, he was the cherished son of Ronald and Constance (Perrin) Wright of Georgia; dear brother of Cheryl Perkins and Allen Wright of Georgia, Darren Wright of Washington and Todd Wright of Texas; adored uncle of Kevin and Michael Keough Jr., Nicole McCarthy, Jennifer New, Jeremy Butters, Courtney, Kat, David, and Ryan Wright.
Visiting Hours will take place at the Maurice W. Kirby Funeral Home 210 Winthrop St, Winthrop today, Thursday only, between 4 and 8 p.m. A service will be held at the funeral home during the visitation at 7:30 p.m. Cremation will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to his Children’s Fund in care of Mary Porter 76 Bowdoin St. Winthrop, MA, 02152. For guestbook and directions, go to www.mauricekirbyfh.com.
Freda Gorenstein
Former Winthrop resident
Freda (Levin) Gorenstein, formerly of Winthrop, died on November 29. She was 94 years old.
The devoted wife of the late Max Gorenstein, she was the beloved mother of Marvin Gorenstein and Tessa Lebinger, dear sister of the late Arnold Levin and cherished grandmother of Tzipporah and Batya Lebinger.
Funeral arrangements were by Goldman Funeral Chapel, Malden. Burial was in Lynn. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made to C.J.N.H. Foundation, 17 Lafayette Ave., Chelsea, MA. 02150. For online condolences go to: www.goldmanfc.com.
Virginia Scalia
Office manager
Virginia (Amabile) Scalia of Winthrop died at the Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge on November 26. She was 75 years old.
Prior to her retirement, she worked as the office manager for A1 Heating and Air conditioning.
She was the beloved wife of the late Anthony M. Scalia; devoted mother of Nina Scalia of the North End of Boston and Mary Hatch of Winthrop. Born in Boston, she was the cherished daughter of the late Sam and Mary (Lucariello) Amabile; adored grandmother of five and great-grandmother of five; dear sister of Marie Amabile and Barbara Stone, both of Braintree, and Leonard Amabile of Florida and is also survived by many nieces and nephews.
At the family’s request, funeral services were private. Funeral arrangements were by the Maurice W. Kirby Funeral Home , Winthrop. For guestbook, go to www.mauricekirbyfh.com.
Thomas Marchione
Realtor, artist
Thomas A. Marchione of Chelsea died on November 23. He was 93 years old.
Born in Brighton, he was the son of the late Louis and Amelia (Costanza) Marchione. He was raised in Medford and graduated from Medford High School, Class of 1936.
During Mr. Marchione’s life time, he had several careers. At one time he was employed as a realtor and an apartment manager. He was also an accomplished artist having several of his osteo art sculptures featured in local banks and the Winthrop Art Gallery.
He was the husband of Cheri (Phillippi) Marchione; father of Michelle Marchione of Lynn, Theresa McKenna of Lynnfield, Thomasina Marchione of East Boston, Anne Marie Tobin of Saugus and the late Grace Donati of Pennsylvania and is also survived by eight grandchildren and one great grandchild.
A Memorial Gathering was held at Goodrich Funeral Home, Lynn.
Helen Scher
Animal lover
Helen (Wurth) Scher of Winthrop, formerly of Encinitas, CA, died peacefully and comfortably on November 25 at the Chelsea Jewish Nursing Home, where she has been a resident since 2006.
She was born in Geneva, Switzerland, the adoring daughter of the late Jack Wurth of Zurich and San Antonio, Texas and Emily (Wuest). She was the indefatigably organized and loving mother of Niki Vettel and the admiring mother-in-law of Rich Vettel of Winthrop, and the devoted wife of William Scher who died in 1979.
She moved to the United States from her native Switzerland to marry “Bill†in 1950, and subsequently lived in Valley Stream, NY and then Encinitas, CA. She loved all animals and was a generous and open-hearted friend to all. Memorial donations may be made to the Animal Rescue League of Boston. A celebration of her life will be held later this month in Winthrop. Arrangements are by the Caggiano Funeral Home, Winthrop. To sign her online book of remembrance go to: www.caggianofuneralhome.com.