Maria B. (Gelpi) DiSpena passed away at the Lahey Clinic Medical Center in Burlington. She was 74. Born and raised in Bergamo Italy, she was the daughter of the late Giovanni and Rosalia (Filippi) Gelpi. Maria and her husband Antonio came to the United States in 1967 and began their family. They settled in Medford where they have lived since their arrival in the US. A devoted wife, mother and grandmother, she enjoyed a long career with Melon Bank, until her retirement. Maria enjoyed knitting and gardening. She looked forward to visits to the beach and also visiting with her relatives back in Bergamo. Most of all, Maria loved her time with family and friends.
The beloved wife of Antonio "Tony the Barber" DiSpena, she was a devoted mother to Salvatore DiSpena and his wife Nicole of Reading, Lisa Scapicchio and her husband Peter of Winchester, and Linda Maganzini of Reading. She was a loving grandmother to Alana, Lilliana, Anthony, Sophia, Robert, Rosalia and AJ. She was a dear sister to Giuseppina Vecchi and Angelo Gelpi both of Italy and the late Adriana Vavassori.
Her funeral will be from the Dello Russo Funeral Home, 306 Main St., Medford, Monday April 8th at 10:30 AM followed by a Funeral Mass celebrated in St. Joseph Church, 118 High St., Medford, at 11:30 AM. Services will conclude with interment at Oak Grove Cemetery, Medford.
Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend and may visit with the family at the funeral home on Sunday 4 - 8 PM.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Maria's name to Spinabifida Association of Greater New England, 219 East Main St. Suite 100B, Milford, MA, 01757.