Obituary of Simon Denaro

Simon A. Denaro, World War II Veteran Simon A. Denaro, who received the Silver Star for Conspicuous Gallantry in Action during WW II, passed away after a period of declining health at the Lawrence Memorial Hospital in Medford on Sunday morning, January 27, 2013. He was 89 years old. Simon was born in Somerville the son of Italian immigrants the late, Giovanni and Dominica Denaro. His family returned home to Faro Superiore, Sicily where his family owned and operated a farm and vineyard. Simon returned to the United States just before WWII. He enlisted in the Army and served for 14 months in Company B of the 120th Infantry, 30th Division of the U.S. Army. He served under Company B. Commander, Captain George Murray S. Pulver. After the war, Pulver wrote a book, the Longest Year, where he described Simon as a “great soldier” and the recipient of the Silver Star for Conspicuous Gallantry in Action during WW II. Simon and his Silver Star were also cited in Robert KL. Hewitts’s book, The Workhorse of the Western Front. He received his Silver Star for his heroism in combat when he risked his own life to blow-up an enemy gun emplacement that was firing on his fellow soldiers. Later in the war, he lost his leg in a bazooka explosion, and spent the remaining part of the war in a hospital bed at Walter Reed Medical Center in Bethesda, MD. He also received the Good Conduct Medal, Bronze Star, World War II Victory Medal, and the Purple Heart. After the war, with only one leg, he became a tailor and owned and operated a small shop on Newbury Street in Boston. Simon was the father of John of Natick and Stephen of CA. Brother of Victor E. of Burlington and the late Dominic. Grandfather of Hailey, Jack, Bellah, and Sophie. Also survived by many nieces and nephews. Funeral from the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn St., BURLINGTON (exit 34 off Rt. 128/95, Woburn side on Wednesday, January 30 at 9 a.m. Followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Margaret’s Church, 111 Winn St., Burlington at 10 a.m. A Burial with military honors will be held at the Arlington National Cemetery at a future date. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Simon’s name may be made to the New England Shelter for Homeless Veterans, 17 Court Street, Boston, MA 02108. For directions, obituary & online guestbook see www.sullivanfuneralhome.net or www.saintmargaretschurch.net