Obituary of Anita DiPersio

Anita DiPersio passed away after a long illness at her home with her children and grandchildren at her bedside on Saturday afternoon, March 19, 2016. She was 82 years old. Anita was born in Pratola Serra in the Avellino Province of Italy. It was a small village located on the Sabato River east of Naples. She was only seven years old when Italy entered WW II and lived through Mussolini’s rise and fall, German occupation, the Allied forces invasions and the eventual end of the war when she was 12 years old. In April of 1948, at the age of 15, her family came to the United States, settling in the North End of Boston. At the age of 18 she met a fellow Italian immigrant, Attilio DiPersio, in the North End and they were married within a year. They moved to Burlington in 1961 to raise their family of five. Their home and street in Burlington was bit like Little Italy. Her two sisters and their families all purchased homes on this same street and their 17 children grew up together. She was very proud of her Italian traditions, cuisine, and values. She and her sisters spoke Italian amongst themselves and English with the children. Anita had some specialty dishes she enjoyed cooking for her family such as Pizza Minestre, potato gnocchi, raviolis, and egg cookies. After Attilio retired, they would cook together. Anita and Attilio were a special couple especially when they were on the dance floor. They travelled all around the world including many trips home to Italy to visit family, Aruba, Las Vegas, and many Caribbean cruises. They enjoyed wintering in Florida in their retirement years. They also enjoyed day trips to Foxwoods Resort. They spent many a summer day aboard their boat the Amore, which they docked in Boston Harbor. They were regulars at all the Burlington Knights of Columbus events and socials. When you talk about Anita, one would have to talk about her fashion sense. It was amazing how a girl who grew up in in a small village could have a sense of style and glamour. She took great pride in her appearance and wouldn’t leave the house unless her hair, make up and outfit were perfect. Anita was a born shopper and well known by all the sales clerks at the Burlington Mall. Her favorite store was Filenes because of their merchandise as well as the restaurant where she would frequent on her shopping excursions. She also enjoyed going to Bingo and bowling with her sisters. Anita was full of fun; she never had a serious side to her. She had many Italian sayings, keeping her family in laughter on a daily basis. Anita would only talk about things of a happy nature, and was always ready for fun. Her family cannot imagine life without her and their lives will never be the same. Anita was the beloved wife of the late Attilio DiPersio, who passed in 2014. She was the loving mother of Frank DiPersio of Burlington, Lena Lentini & her husband Daniel of Burlington, Attilio DiPersio, Jr of Tewksbury & FL, Tony DiPersio & his wife Marsha of Billerica, Sandra Saia & her husband Mark of Burlington. She was the sister of Lisetta Sellitto of Italy, Amelia Campana of Ormond Beach, FL, the late Fiorita Caporizzo, Jennie Capozzi, Olympia DiStefano, and Helen Silvatella. Anita was the proud grandmother of Joshua Patterson, Daniel & Mark Lentini, Erin, Adel, Jade, Attilio, III, Dillon, Bianca, & Jacqueline DiPersio, Samantha Bilotta, Jessica Thain, Nicholas & Joseph Saia. Great grandmother of Evan, Colin, Gwen, Carter, Dillon, Grace, Brooke & one more on the way. Funeral from the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn St., BURLINGTON (exit 34 off Rt. 128/95, Woburn side) on Tuesday, March 22 at 9 a.m. Followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Malachy’s Church 99 Bedford St., Burlington at 10 a.m. Visiting hours Monday from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Interment in Pine Haven Cemetery, Burlington. For directions, obituary & online guestbook see www.saint-malachy.org or www.sullivanfuneralhome.net