Obituary of Mary Elizabeth DiRusso

With profound sadness, we announce the passing of Mary E. “Betty” DiRusso,  our loving and devoted mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend to all whose lives she touched, on July 28, 2022. She left us while sleeping peacefully at her home in Burlington, MA. She was 96 years old.

Born in Somerville, MA on May 29,1926 she was the eldest of four children born to James and Virginia Lahiff. She is survived by her sister Agnes Hagerty of Brookline, MA. She married her childhood sweetheart, Ray, and was his devoted wife until his passing in 2008.

Mary was the beloved mother of Irene Papageorge & her husband Sirjohn of Trumbull, CT, Raymond DiRusso Jr. of Merrimack, NH and Virginia Fontana & her husband Richard of Tewksbury.   She was the proud grandmother of Allison Kelly, Vanessa Amenta, Nicholas DiRusso and Jonathan DiRusso.   Great grandmother to Ava & Aiden Kelly, Riley & Brooklyn Amenta, Jackson, Grayson & Emersyn DiRusso.   Mother-in-law of Donna DiRusso. Sister of Clarence Francis "Franny" Lahiff and her sister Loretta Hardy pre-deceased her.  She was also a loving aunt to many nieces and nephews.

She lived a full life as a loving wife, mother and grandmother. She loved gardening, reading and making improvements and re-decorating her home. Most of all she loved her family and friends and instilled good values in her children and grandchildren. She will be dearly missed and be forever in our hearts and prayers.

Visiting hours will be held at the Edward V Sullivan Funeral Home on Tuesday, August 2 from 4-7pm.  Funeral from the funeral home on Wednesday August 3 at 9am, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Malachy Church, 99 Bedford St., Burlington at 10 a.m.  Services will conclude with burial in Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge.