Obituary of Luigi Richard Reale

Luigi Richard “Lou” Reale, a World War II Veteran and retired Cambridge Gas employee passed away after a short illness on Thursday night, February 1, 2018. He was 94 years old. Lou was born in Cambridge, the son of Italian immigrants, the late Cosmo and Emily Reale. He grew up and was educated in East Cambridge. Lou from an early age, had keen sense for construction and anything mechanical and loved working with his hands. He learned from his father how to make the most of all his skills. At the age of 19, he enlisted in the Army to fight in World War II. He held the Rank of Private and spent some of his military time in the Aleutian Islands as an MP. Towards the end of the war, Lou was aboard a Naval Ship that was steaming toward Japan to be part of the Invasion of Japan. He his fellow soldiers were expecting that invasion to be another bloody campaign much like the Normandy Invasion. The United States chose to use nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the hopes of bringing the war to a swift end. Lou and comrades were spared from that battle. In August of 1945 Lou was discharged from the Army. He continued his support of the U.S. Military by his involvement with the American Legion. After his service to the country Lou came home to marry his sweetheart, Jennie and they raised their four children in the house that Lou continued to live in for the rest of his life. A home that was open to anyone in need of a place to stay. During his years of marriage and raising his family, Lou went to work at Cambridge Gas as a service technician. He serviced both commercial and residential customers and retired after 35 years with the company. Lou was a skilled and talented man, who could do almost anything. He did his own plumbing, heating, air conditioning, carpentry, finish work, electrical and whatever other project that needed to be done. He was always willing to lend a helping hand for any of his family and friends. If you needed assistance, Lou would be there with all his tools to get the project done. He built cabinets, bathrooms, kitchens, restored all sorts of furniture. He was so creative, that if something was missing a part, he could recreate or improvise something to make it work. He literally could make someone’s trash a treasure. During his retirement years, he worked side by side with his brother, John, restoring, repairing, and building furniture for family, friends, and occasionally some paying clients. All of his furniture was of the best quality, but each piece had one small imperfection, which he called a “dingy.” They also helped repair and maintain Saint Margaret’s Church. Their handy work is all over the church, rectory, hall, and school and has saved the church thousands and thousands of dollars over the years. Lou was so talented, that he could even make skates from shoes. Lou was so devoted to his family. He loved each one of them for who they were and was always there for them in any way he could. He loved cooking for them at the holidays and for Sunday dinners. They would often tease him about his turkey carving skills, because he would constantly be nibbling away as he carved or accidently/purposely dropping pieces of meat for the dogs benefit. He loved road trips to the beach and lobster dinners at Markey’s Restaurant in Seabrook, New Hampshire. He wasn’t much of a sports fan, but always watched the Patriots with his daughter Lisa, because she enjoyed his company. When his family remembers Lou, they think about his humbleness, kind heart, devotion to all, generosity, spirituality, and always placing his family first. Lou was the beloved husband of the late Jennie (Spera). Loving father of John & his wife Candy of Billerica, Lou & his wife Rita of Las Vegas, Eleanor Rodman & her husband Robert of Woburn and Lisa Delaney & her husband Dan of Wakefield. Brother of Mary Forson of Woburn, Lisa Jones of Woburn, Theresa Powers of Billerica, Antoinette Lewis of Sandwich and John Reale of Burlington. Proud grandfather of John, Robert & Richard Reale, Stephanie Rodman-Russo, Stacy Bauer and the late Louis Reale. Great grandfather of Sean, T. J., Brittany, Anthony, Jessica, Joey, Nico, Aliana, Jayden, Justin, and Jarrett. Funeral from the Edward V Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn St., BURLINGTON (Exit 34 off Rt. 128/95 Woburn side) on Tuesday, Feb. 6 at 9 a.m. Followed by a Mass of Christina Burial in St. Margaret’s Church, 111 Winn St., Burlington at 10 a.m. Visiting hours Monday 4-8 p.m. Interment in Woodbrook Cemetery Woburn. Memorials in Luigi’s name may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 www.stjude.org