Obituary of Marianna Maggio

Marianna (Marrone) Maggio of Reading, formerly of Everett, East Boston, and Italy passed away peacefully with her family at her bedside on Wednesday morning, January 11, 2017. She was 97 years old. Marianna or as her friends called, Marion, was born in Boston, the daughter of Italian immigrants, Frank and Marianna Marrone. It was 1919, a year after the end of World War I. While many were immigrating to the United States after the war, Marion’s family were opting to return home to their homeland of Italy. So when Marion was 2 years old, they packed up or sold what they had of belongings and re-turned to Sicily. It was in the town of Salemi that she grew up and married her husband Paul Maggio. They had their first child and when she was expecting her second child, it was now her and Paul’s decision to pack their things and return to the United States. They settled in East Boston which was filled with Italian immigrants. Growing up in Sicily, she held many values and traditions throughout her life. Simple things like family always came first, hard work, a strong sense of independence and self-reliance. This never became more apparent when her beloved Paul passed away in 1966 leaving her with 6 children with the youngest being 9 and 4 years old. The entire family did what they had to do to help get them get by during those difficult and challeng-ing years. She was blessed to see her children marry, have kids, become grandparents, and even become great grandparents. Marion going back to her Sicilian roots, was never afraid of hard work. If something needed to be done, Marion would not hesitate to jump in. Believe it or not, she was digging footings for porches and helping with the construction of a shed in her 80’s. When her son, Anthony, opened Christopher’s Deli in Revere, Marion was there doing whatever needed to be done from making her homemade meatballs, pan frying chicken cutlets, or cleaning the pots and pans. She wanted to see him succeed and was going to support him in whatever manner she could. She loved to cook at home and her kitchen was always filled with succulent aromas. The grand kids loved her fried dough and pizzelle cookies. She was constantly on the phone, talking with family and friends, and keeping up to date of all the events, activities and news. Everyone knew not to call her when her favorite soap operas were on. She was always available if someone needed a baby sitter or helping hand. She loved being with family and be included in activities that were im-portant to her family. Despite not being able to swim and being afraid of the water, she went with family on Duck Boats rides, deep sea fishing trips, and boat rides around the lake. She enjoyed weekends at New-found Lake and East Pond, ME. In the end of her life, her legacy was not her wealth but the devotion to her large family of whom she was the Matriarch. Marion was the beloved wife of the late Paul Salvatore Maggio. She was the proud mother of Geri Fantasia & her husband Sonny of Salem, NH, Paul Maggio and his wife Barbara of Tewksbury, Marion Dickey of Salem, NH, Fran Burnham & her husband Artie of Oakland, ME, Marie Fife & her husband Joe of Woburn, and Anthony Maggio & his wife Clare of Salem, NH. She was predeceased by her siblings; Rose Fazio, Christine Ippolito, Paul Marrone, and Antoinette Ippolito. She was the grandmother of 12, including her late grandson Joey Maggio, great grandmother of 16 and great great grandmother of 1. Funeral from the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn Street,Burlington (exit 34 off Rt. 128/95, Woburn side) on Saturday, January 14 at 9 a.m. Followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Margaret’s Church, 111 Winn Street, Burlington at 10 a.m. The burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery in Malden where Marion will be buried alongside her be-loved husband, Paul. Visiting hours will be held at the Funeral Home on Friday from 6-8 p.m. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Marion’s name may be made to Per-kins School for the Blind. If you have questions, please feel free to call 617-972-7651 or email SupportPerkins@Perkins.org