Giuseppe A. Centofanti, age 90, of Medford passed away on Saturday, May 1st, at Royal Meadowview of North Reading. Born in 1930 in Pettorano Sul Gizio (AQ), Italy, he was the son of the late Alfredo and Angiola (Ventresca) Centofanti. Giuseppe witnessed the Nazi occupation and the Allied liberation. He moved to Caracas, Venezuela for work before returning to Italy and marrying. Giuseppe returned to Venezuela, subsequently moving his family to Boston's North End in 1970. Ten years later, he moved to Medford where he has lived for 41 years.
Giuseppe enjoyed babysitting his grandchildren in their early years and even more so watching them grow and hearing of their accomplishments. His other passions included reading (in 3 languages - English, Italian and Spanish), watching futbol (soccer) matches from European leagues, and the annual ritual of making homemade wine. Hard working and always driven to provide for his family's needs, Giuseppe never shied from any job. He settled into the architectural iron industry in which he worked for 30+ years (Local 501) retiring in 1995.
Giuseppe was the loving and devoted husband of 63 years to Ennia (DeSantis) Centofanti, and the affectionate and supportive father of Luigi and Ralph and their spouses, Diane and Laura. He was the proud grandfather of Vanessa, Joseph, Dante and Nico, and the dear brother of Odaordo Centofanti of Medford and his late wife Anna, and Aldo Centofanti and his wife Ivana of Italy. Giuseppe was the cherished uncle of Domenic, Joseph, Angelo and Sandro Centofanti and their families. He is also survived by his sister-in-law Maria DeSantis of Medford and her late husband Lorenzo, and their children Domenic and his wife Omaira, Adelia and her husband Carmen, and Linda and her husband Chris.
A funeral mass will be celebrated in Immaculate Conception Church, 600 Pleasant St., Malden, at 11:30 AM on Thursday, May 6th. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend and may visit with family from 9 through 11 AM in the Dello Russo Funeral Home, 306 Main St., Medford. Services will conclude with entombment at Holy Cross Mausoleum, Malden. Social distancing protocols will be followed throughout the services.