Josephine (Celona) Fratto, who lived in Medford for many years, passed away on Thursday, July 4th. She was one hundred years old. Born and raised in East Boston, she was the cherished daughter of the late Matteo and Domenica (Femino) Celona.
After graduating from East Boston High School, she worked as an Administrative Secretary in Accounts Receivable at Sears Roebuck. She met her husband, Louis P. Fratto, at a dance and they were married on September 19, 1948 at St. Lazarus Church in East Boston. She was his beloved wife for sixty nine years. By July 1953, they were parents to two boys. Then they welcomed triplet girls and instantly became a family of seven. She was a devoted mother and homemaker who always put her family first. Before her retirement, she worked part-time as a Bookkeeper for her brother's furniture business.
Josephine enjoyed many hobbies throughout her life. She loved to sew, knit, read, and appreciated music and dancing. Josephine and her husband loved to ballroom dance together every Saturday night, and continued to enjoy it into their late 80's. She and her husband were avid walkers and could be seen daily walking throughout the streets of Medford. Josephine also had a passion for cooking and baking.
Josephine and her husband loved to travel and went to Italy four times where they visited extended family. They also traveled throughout the United States to visit their children and their families.
She was the devoted mother of Robert Fratto and his wife Donna, Edward Fratto and his wife Christine, Linda Ariota and her husband Jim, Donna Kisby and her husband Glen, and Sandy DeFazio and her husband Paul. She was the loving grandmother of Genessa, Cara, Lisa, Stephanie, Kristina, Mark, Amy, Natalie, Bryan, Eddie, Brian and Janelle. She was the great grandmother of Beatrice, Frances, Miles, Samuel, Louise, Maverick and Ann. She was the dear sister of the late Frank Celona. Josephine is also survived by many loving nieces, nephews and cousins.
Josephine’s funeral will be at the Dello Russo Funeral Home, on Friday, July 12th at 9 AM, followed by a funeral Mass celebrated in the Immaculate Conception Church, 600 Pleasant St., Malden, at 10 AM. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to visit with Josephine’s family on Thursday, July 11th, from 4 to 8 PM. Services will conclude with burial at Oak Grove Cemetery, Medford.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Josephine’s name to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memorials Processing, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959.