Pilar (Hernandez) Masella, age 93, a longtime resident of Winchester, passed away on March 13, 2025, lovingly surrounded by her family.
Born in Madrid, Spain Pilar was the fifth of six beloved daughters of Natalio and Pilar (Matarin) Hernandez. She was raised and educated in Spain and at school learned French Language, Cosmetology Arts, Sewing and Embroidering.
During the years 1936-1939 she survived the Spanish Civil War. The family fled the bombings in the capitol city and moved to the northern countryside surrounded by the Pyrenees Mountains. Pilar and her sisters learned to fish, grow their own produce, and hiked the mountains.
After the war ended, the family returned to the capitol city and established a family-owned beauty salon in Madrid. Her father Natalio was a talented wood sculptor of religious artwork. Pilar and her 5 sisters all worked in the family hair salon business.
During 1957 Pilar met her (former) spouse Mario A. Masella, a U.S. Air Force serviceman stationed at Torrejon de Ardoz Airforce Base, and after courtship were married in 1959 and had one daughter Maryann. Later they moved to Mass. to continue their family where their son Alexander was born.
Mostly, she enjoyed being with her family and children. Her children remembered her amazing cooking skills and how she would share delightful Spanish, Italian and Mediterranean dishes.
While she made many friends, she loved music and ballroom dancing and being out in the quiet of nature feeding the animals and gardening, sometimes with her pet Chihuahuas (Rita, Pepe and Romeo) by her side.
Pilar was the devoted mother of Maryann P. Masella of Winchester and Alexander A. Masella. She was the dear sister of the late Carmen Alonso, Francisca Ocejo, Maruja Brown, Fermina Alvarez and Isabel Nixon and was the loving aunt and Godmother of Dr. Jorge Alvarez of FL, and devoted aunt of Dr. Carlos Alonso, Dr. Mario Alonso, and Jesus Alonso, all of Spain,
Maria Pilar Ocejo of Spain, Javier Ocejo of FL, Maria Nixon and Robert Nixon, both of TX, and Dr. Jose Hiram Alvarez of NV and AZ. She also leaves behind a host of relatives and friends in Spain and MA.
A memorial will be on Sunday, March 23 at the 12 noon Mass in Spanish at St. Charles Borromeo Church, 280 Main St., Woburn.