GLOUCESTER: Mary A. (Asaro) Palazola, 90, formerly of Curtis Clark Park, died peacefully early Sunday morning, January 13, 2013 at the Seacoast Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, just a few weeks shy of her 91st birthday. She was the wife of the late Jerry Palazola, who died in March of 1995.
Born in Gloucester on February 7, 1922, she was the daughter of the late Peter and Katherine (Ciaramitaro) Asaro. She was a lifelong resident and had attended St. Ann’s School.
Mary was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother, who cherished time with her family and was an integral part of her grandchildren’s lives. She had an adventurous spirit, which inspired her family’s move to Los Angeles, California, a place she was drawn to since she was young, where they resided for three years.
She possessed a quick wit and a talent for storytelling, a captivating method of delivery and expression of language, which will always endure in the memory of her loved ones.
She took great pleasure in cooking for her family, who still reminisce about her delicious meals. A person of deep faith, she was honest, independent, strong, and resilient in the face of adversity. She encouraged these qualities in her own children.
Mary was a communicant of St. Ann’s Church and was a member of the Madonna del Rosario Society and the St. Peter’s Women’s Auxiliary.
She had been employed at the former O’Donnell-Use Seafood Kitchens for several years and also as a nanny in Los Angeles, California.
She is survived by her daughter, Lisa F. McManus and her partner, Charles D. Carey of Gloucester; her son, Peter A. Palazola of Boston; a grandson, Bryan J. McManus of New York City; a granddaughter, Erin L. McManus of Salem; three brothers, Samuel, husband of Louisa Asaro, Vito, husband of Rosemarie Asaro and Daniel, husband of Cynthia Asaro; brothers-in-law, Anthony Testaverde and his wife, Jean, Thomas Palazola and his wife, Grace and Jerome Palazola and his wife, Marie; sisters-in-law, Sally Caron and Jennie Palazola, and among many cousins, a dear cousin, Pauline Danish, many nieces, nephews and godchilden. She was also predeceased by two sisters and a brother-in-law, Rose Testaverde and Marion and Joseph Curcuru; and her brother and sister-in-law, Peter “Butch” Asaro, Jr. and Jean A. (Sonia) Asaro, as well as her mother-in-law and father-in-law, Anthony and Francesca (Aiello) Palazola, sisters-in-law, Katherine, and her husband Celestine Giovanni, Madeline and her husband, Bartholomew Piraino; brothers-in-law, Gaspar and his wife Antoinette Palazola, Joseph “Josie” and his wife, Rose Palazola, Frank “Chick” Palazola, Anthony “Nonny” and his wife, Jean Palazola, and Sophie and his wife, Celeste Palazola.
Her funeral Mass will be celebrated on Thursday morning in the Holy Family Parish, St. Ann Church at 10:30 a.m. Visiting hours will be held on Wednesday at the Pike-Grondin Funeral Home, 61 Middle Street, Gloucester from 5 - 7 p.m. Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend. Interment will be held in the Calvary Cemetery.