GLOUCESTER: Joanna R. (Aiello) Trupiano, 66, died unexpectedly on Saturday, February 7, 2015. She was the wife of Anthony “Nino” Trupiano.
Born in Gloucester on November 14, 1948, she was the daughter of the late Capt. John B. Aiello and Lena T. (Giacalone) Aiello. She was a lifelong resident and graduate of St. Ann High School class of 1967. She had also attended Wheelock College and received her Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education.
Early on she had worked as a Teacher’s Assistant at Head Start and later as a classroom volunteer at Pathway’s. She later worked at Trupiano’s Superette and The Cape Ann Food Co-op as a Cook.
Devoted to her faith, she was a lifelong communicant of St. Ann’s Church. She was a member of the Madonna del Rosario Society, Mother of Grace Club and St. Ann’s Bible Study. She was a regular attendee at prayer meetings & Novena’s of families and friends throughout Gloucester. She had also hosted the St. Joseph Novena for many years.
She was very dedicated to her family and had been a loving caregiver to her grandchildren over the past eighteen years.
In addition to her husband of 47 years, she is survived by her children, Salvatore Trupiano, companion of Danean (Babine) Cooper, Serafina, wife of Christopher Russell, Marlena, wife of Tyler Kolterjahn, John, husband of Shayna (Hofstetter) Trupiano and King, her German Shepherd and trusty Companion, who was by her side always; six grandchildren, Marissa and Samantha Trupiano, Madison and Evan Kolterjahn, Owen and Rosie Trupiano; a great-granddaughter, Nevaeh Severino-Trupiano; two sisters, Maria LaRosa and Annette, wife of Michael Sullivan; eight aunts, Catherine Fontana, Pearl Ciluffo and Grace Cianciola, Pauline Piscitello, Rose Demetri, Jenny Curcuru, Grace Pallazola and Adriana Aiello; two uncles, Joseph, husband of Marie Giacalone and Salvatore, husband of Rose Aiello; her in-laws in Terrasini, Sicily, Paulo, husband of Antonetta, Piero, husband of Mariella, Giuseppe “Pino”, husband of Antonella, and Cristoforo “Lino”, husband of Josephine Trupiano, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and dear friends, including her special lifelong friends, Shirley Herdman, Barbara Kitchenmaster and Jennie Ciolino. She was also predeceased by her daughter, Serafina Trupiano; brother, SFC Vito J. Aiello, U.S. Army; brothers-in-law, Robert Schwander and Andrew LaRosa and many aunts, uncles and cousins.
Her funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday morning in the Holy Family Parish, St. Ann Church at 9:30 a.m. Visiting hours will be held on Thursday in the Pike-Grondin Funeral Home, 61 Middle Street, Gloucester from 4 – 7 p.m. Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Joanna’s memory to Cape Ann Animal Aid, 4 Paws Lane, Gloucester (www.capeannanimalaid.org), Cape Ann Food Pantry/Open Door, 28 Emerson Ave., Gloucester, MA 01930 (www.foodpantry.org) or to the charity of one’s choice. Interment will be held in the Calvary Cemetery.