Lena E. (Barretto) Contrino, a longtime resident of Medford, passed away peacefully on November 30, 2024. She was 84 years old.
Lena’s life was centered around her family and friends. Later in life she attended hairdressers’ school and worked as a hairdresser at the Vogue in Medford for many years. A job she loved and looked forward to each day. She was very proud of her children and often bragged about how handsome her grandsons were. She was their biggest cheerleader.
Lena resided at Walkling Court in Medford where she enjoyed her many friends whether it was sitting out at the Gazebo or enjoying coffee time or pizza at the Roundhouse. Her many passions included exceptional cooking, crochet, needlework, gardening, and walking.
Lena was the wife of the late Gaspare Contrino. She was the loving mother of Joanie Waite of Brighton and Ron Persechini and his wife Christina of Groton. Lena was the dear sister of Gilda Barretto and her husband Mike, Rita Barretto, Antonietta Wooten and her late husband James, Anthony Barretto, and the late Steven Barretto, Maria Lazzara and Sergio Barretto. She was the cherished grandmother of John Waite, Mike Waite, Donnie Waite and Rodney Persechini. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews.
The funeral will be held from the A. J. Spadafora Funeral Home, 865 Main Street, Malden on Saturday December 7th at 9:00am followed by a Mass of Christian Burial celebrating Lena’s life in the Immaculate Conception Church, 600 Pleasant Street, Malden at 10:00am. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. Visiting hours will be held at the funeral home on Friday December 6th from 4:00pm-7:00pm.
Interment will be in Oak Grove Cemetery, Medford.