DiRusso, Gloria A. (Tomassetti) of West Roxbury, formerly of Dedham and Brooklyn, NY, November 2, 2017. Beloved wife of the late Erasmus “Ray” DiRusso. Cherished mother of Joanna DiRusso of West Roxbury. Loving cousin of Irene Becker of Dedham. Loving aunt of Aurora Sassano of Yorktown Heights, NY, and Louise Mecca of Las Vegas, NV.
Gloria started her professional life as a solo tap dancer in the major venues in Boston and up and down the east coast as well as Montreal and Toronto. Along with her husband, Ray, they started dancing schools in NYC which trained budding dancers in ballet, tap, and ballroom. After moving back to Dedham where she had been raised to care for her parents, she became a highly regarded make-up artist in the top department stores in Boston, including the now defunct Filene’s, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bloomingdales. Later in life, she returned to her first love, teaching tap classes to adults in West Roxbury. Gloria was a fervent daily mass attendee at the 4 o’clock mass at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church in West Roxbury where they all remember her for her stylish and well put together outfits every day. For the last five months of her life, Gloria resided at Newbridge on the Charles in Dedham, MA.
Funeral from the Robert J. Lawler & Crosby Funeral Home, 1803 Centre St. West Roxbury, on Wednesday November 8, at 10:00 am. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in St. Theresa of Avila Church at 11:30 am. Relatives and friends are invited to attend.
Visiting hours in the funeral home on Tuesday November 7, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.
Interment St. Michael Cemetery.
www.lawlerfuneralhome.com
Lawler & Crosby Funeral Home
617-323-5600