John Joseph Catanzaro, 96, of Methuen passed away on December 28, 2020, after a short period of illness. John was born on August 26, 1924 at home at 29 Corbett Street in Andover, in the Shawsheen Village section of town. He was the youngest of nine children to Antonio and Carmelina (Misenti) Catanzaro. When John was old enough to attend school, his parents packed up the family and moved to Middletown, Connecticut, where Antonio, a Stone Mason, had found work building St. Sebastian’s Catholic Church. Work was scarce at the time, as it was then the height of the Great Depression. Following the church’s completion, the family returned to Andover.
John began attending the Shawsheen Elementary School as well as Andover Junior High. When he was 11 years of age, tragedy struck and his mother Carmelina passed from cancer. This was a difficult time for John because he had also been struck by illness. After a couple of years, John was nearly completely heald and began attending Punchard High School, where he remained as the world became engaged in WWII.
After High School, John attempted to enlist in the US Navy as his brothers, Sam, Mike, Joe and Fred were all serving in the military. Unfortunately, John could not serve due to his childhood illness, but contributed by working in a Lawrence factory which was involved in wartime production.
After the war, John began attending Boston’s Institute of Practical Drafting, taking classes at night while he drove a truck days for Eagle Wonder Cleaners. In 1947, John began working for Ply Mold Corporation where he met his future wife, Jean Bernadette Samperi. After a typical courtship of the era, John and Jean married on February 6, 1949 at the Holy Rosary Church in Lawrence. Meanwhile, John began working at Lawrence Plate and Window Glass Company, where he was employed until 1989. In that time, John rose from being a Draftsman to Vice President of the company. John was involved with Architectural Drafting and Construction Estimating, but his real expertise lay with the specialty of Stove Front Designing.
John was well known in the construction circles of the Merrimack Valley, North Shore, Southern New Hampshire and Greater Boston. In fact, Lawrence Plate became so successful, that an overseas contract was signed with a construction company in Nigeria. During the course of his career, he met and did work for the late Mike Demoulas, founder of Market Basket Stores, with whom he had a first name relationship.
John was not business all of the time and as a middle-aged man purchased a sail boat where he began adventures after he was taught to sail by friend Bill Galvin. In his later years, he would often chuckle at his adventures and misadventures as a sailor. In his senior years, he and his son, John Mark joined the Methuen Council of the Knights of Columbus, where John rose to Third Degree Knight and held the position of Inside Guard.
Following his retirement from Lawrence Plate, John and Jean enjoyed their retirement and traveled to Italy, France and many destinations within the United States. John and Jean had a circle of friends which they enjoyed spending time with, both locally and in Florida.
John was preceded in death by his parents, Antonio and Carmelina, as well as his eight siblings, sisters; Vera Catanzaro, Rose Catanzaro Stella and Minnie Catanzaro Carstones, brothers; Sam, Mike, Chris, Joe and Fred Catanzaro, nephews; Jay Catanzaro, Tony Catanzaro, Steve Stella, Jim DiRamacca and Butch Samperi. He was also preceded in death by niece Carla Paolino Freidrich.
He was also preceded in death by close friends, Steve Parolisi, Sam Petralia, Mike Gueli, Ray Fitzgerald as well as Emily and Joe Magri. John is survived by his son and best friend John Mark whom he always called by his second name. After John moved in to his sixties and Mark his 30’s, they began a very close relationship beyond that of father and son. They would share joys and laughter, sadness and tears. After Jean passed in 2016, Mark helped John cope with his loss and John after a period of mourning continued his life, finding joys every day. They were frequently seen together in local restaurants such as the Fireside, Joe Fish, The Craft, T-Bones and Yella’s. John would also accompany Mark to St. Mary’s Church, where Mark served as an usher. Mark would cherish John’s many stories of growing up in the South Lawrence-Andover area, the way the world was during the war and how he once was part of a local country-western band named Shorty and his western thrillers.
John is also survived by his sister-in-law; Florence Samperi, nieces; Maria Tela, Angela Sideri, Eva Indoccio, Gigi Bergamini and Lisa Catanzaro Collins and nephews; Sam Catanzaro, Jerry Stella, Dr. Tony Catanzarro, Mike Quinn, Richard Catanzaro, David Catanzaro and Dennis Catanzaro and wonderful friends; Lu Petralia, Frieda Gueli and Gerri Caffrey. In addition, he is survived by John Mark’s friends who loved him; Joe Fallon, John Cincotta and Gail Halloran.
In his ninety-six years of life, John made the world a better place through his honesty, integrity and giving to others.
His Funeral Mass will be celebrated in St. Mary of the Assumption Church, 300 Haverhill Street, Lawrence on Monday, January 4, 2021, at 10 AM. Calling hours will be held in the Burke-Magliozzi Funeral Home, 390 North Main Street, Andover on Sunday, January 3, 2021, from 2 to 6 PM, with social distancing. Interment will be held in the Bellevue Cemetery in Lawrence. For additional information, please visit, www.burkemagliozzi.com.