Obituary of Alfred Joseph DiEoreo, Jr.

Alfred Joseph DiEoreo, Jr.  passed away on Friday morning, November 6, 2020. He was 79 years old. Al spent his childhood growing up in Revere with his parents and six siblings. After meeting the love of his life, Sheryl, they married and eventually settled down in Burlington where they raised five daughters together. Al lived the rest of his life in Burlington where he made many great memories with his wife, children, grandchildren, extended family and friends. Al was a simple but special man who appreciated the little things in life. He was an incredibly hard worker who spent his adult life self employed as a ceramic tile setter. He loved being his own boss and was always home early enough to spend every evening having supper with his family. On his way home from work he enjoyed stopping into Sammy’s Deli, getting the newspaper, playing the lottery, and never forgetting to bring home candy for his children and even the neighborhood kids. Al had a love for cooking. He became an amazing cook by learning from and watching his incredible, Italian mother. He passed on his cooking expertise to his daughters teaching them how to make homemade pizza that was better than any restaurant pizza around. Some of his other famous specialties were homemade raviolis and homemade chicken nuggets and french fries. But there was nothing better than his homemade sauce and meatballs that tasted like it came straight from Italy.  Our family enjoyed so many Sunday’s eating these delicious dinners together and watching sports with him. Al will forever be remembered for his strength and resilience. His grit when times were tough outmatched anyone we knew. He thanked God every day that he was here and pressed on through even the most challenging times. He passed on to his children and grandchildren the ultimate gift of determination and fight. We almost counted him out so many times, but he always found a way to make a comeback. His strength and resilience will live on through his family forever. Al adored his wife Sheryl. They loved spending time together and spent many fun nights hanging out with friends in the neighborhood. They loved going out to eat, taking drives to Revere and Nahant Beach, and getting away to their favorite spot, The Union Bluff Hotel, in York Beach, Maine. While their daughters were growing up, they spent every summer creating fun family memories at Mousam Lake in Maine surrounded by family and friends. Al loved being a member of the Tuna Club in Revere and the Marconi Club in Stoneham. He always looked forward to playing cards with friends and betting on horses. His love for sports ran deep. He was an eternal fan of the Boston Red Sox, New England Patriots, Boston Bruins, and the Boston Celtics. Al was fortunate to be able to celebrate the many championships with his beloved teams and was ecstatic when the Red Sox broke the curse in 2004.   Because Al was such a welcoming man and loved by everyone who knew him, he earned the nickname, Al My Pal. There was nothing that made Al more proud than his five daughters. He always said his biggest accomplishment in life was knowing that he raised good, loving kids. His motto in life was, if his daughters were happy, then he was happy, and his life was complete. We will always remember the many life lessons that he instilled in us. He taught us to choose love over hate, to never hold grudges, to never give up hope when times were tough, and that the most important things in life aren’t things, they are the love of your family. We have been told by many people, both family and friends, that Al was one of the “Good Ones.” He will forever be remembered as one of the best, a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend. We will miss him terribly, but are so grateful for the many, wonderful memories we shared with him. Beloved husband of Sheryl A. (McManus). Loving father of Dawn Hatch & her husband Robert of Carlisle, Jody Salman & her husband Eric of San Diego, CA, Lisa Hovasse & her husband Timothy of Burlington, Amanda Restivo & her husband Daniel of Burlington, and Bridget DiEoreo of Billerica & her partner Matthew Jones. Brother of Anthony D’Iorio of Methuen, Judith Orlandino of E. Boston, Mary Penney of N. Andover, Donna Orlandino of Lawrence, Jean Halpin of Marblehead, and the late Joseph DiEoreo. Proud grandfather of Blake & Jake Hatch, Miranda & Nicholas Salman, Julia, Sydney, & Brooke Hovasse, Billy, Ali, & Ava Restivo. Funeral services will be private.  Memorials in Al’s name may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN  38105 or www.stjude.org.