Columbia (Luongo) Giacalone passed away peacefully at the Winchester Hospital on Wednesday, June 28th. She was 92. Columbia was raised in the North End and West End of Boston and was the daughter of the late Oresto and Amelia (Annacone) Luongo.
Columbia worked as a young woman with John Hancock Insurance. Once she was married, she and Danny settled in Medford where they raised their family. She was a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother and sister. Columbia was devoted to keeping a wonderful home and preparing delicious meals for the generations of her family. She enjoyed a fun social life and enjoyed spending time with friends and relatives whenever she could. She lived in Medford for over 50 years before moving to North Reading.
The beloved wife of the late Diego “Danny” Giacalone, Columbia was a devoted mother to Elaine Winsor and her husband Stephen, Karen Bowman and her husband Joseph, Denise Langley and her husband Robert and Diane Favorat and her husband Bruce. She was a loving grandmother to Stephen Winsor, Mark Winsor and Lisa Sorrentino; Joseph and Christopher Bowman; Cristina Rubbo and Julianne DeLeo; Nicholas and Michael Phillips. Columbia is also survived by 12 great-grandchildren, her sister Virginia Wilson and her husband Donald and is predeceased by her sister Genevieve Rollka.
Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to visit at the Dello Russo Funeral Home, 306 Main St., Medford, on Friday, July 7th from 4 – 8 PM and again on Saturday morning at 9 with a procession to St. Joseph Church for a Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated at 10 AM. Burial will follow at Oak Grove Cemetery, Medford.
In lieu of flowers contributions may be sent in Columbia’s name to the Alzheimer’s Association, 309 Waverley Oaks Rd., Waltham, MA 02452.