Obituary of Enrico DiRocco

Enrico “Eddie” DiRocco, a longtime employee for Mack Truck passed away on Monday, July 3, 2023.  He was 85 years old.  Eddie was born in Somerville.  He was one of eleven children born to Italian immigrants, Francis DiRocco and Angelina ‘D’Ettore’ DiRocco.  He grew up in Somerville in a modest home overflowing with Italian traditions and norms that was bursting to the brim with children.  Cooperation and controlled commotion were the norm.  He met the love of his life while attending Somerville High School, (Arlene attended Matignon High School), and soon after graduating from Somerville High School they were married.  A few years later, they settled in Burlington.  Eddie worked for Mack Truck in Alston/Brighton for about 35 years before retiring but he continued on a part time basis at McDevitt Mack for a few years after this. 

While working for Mack Trucks, Eddie enjoyed being a member of the Mack Truck bowling League where he did quite well and over the course of his retirement, he tried his hand at golf.  Tried. Like many of us do.   His true passions however were found in simple things.   Never much for air travel, he would still muster up the courage to head to Las Vegas annually with close friends back in the late 70’s and through the 80’s.  The high point was finding a guy who knew a guy and they sat right near the stage during a Frank Sinatra performance.   That, he would say, was amazing given that he was a huge Frank Sinatra fan and owned nearly every Sinatra album.  Perhaps a close second was enjoying the many cruises through the Caribbean with Arlene- as long as the plane trips were short.  While Arlene would be traveling the globe with her job, a typical summer day for Enrico might involve a swim in his pool, taking in some sun and then heading downstairs to his basement, where he would a pour a scotch or two and spin a few Sinatra albums only interrupting this to check in with his kids to make sure all was well.   He was a huge local sports fan with the Patriots and Red Sox being his most favorite teams.   It was perhaps during one of these afternoons by the pool that he decided that the NFL should realign its divisions along geographic boundaries.  He drafted a proposed realignment and sent letters to Paul Tagliabue, NFL Commissioner, as well as to Gil Santos over at WBZ. Gil Santos replied and wrote, “I found your suggestions interesting and very workable”, and he forwarded Enrico’s proposal to several team owners for their review. Sadly, it was not passed. But that did not diminish his love for the game or the Patriots.   

Enrico enjoyed fine dining and wonderful travel destinations but truly embraced what he would refer to as the simple pleasures of life.  He would live life in the present moment and would always remind us to do the same.  He cared deeply for his family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues and was a gentleman to the very end.   And lastly, but certainly not any less important were the pets that Enrico and Arlene took in throughout the years, especially his love for the basenji breed of which they had four.  His wonderful relationship with Arlene throughout the years was well balanced and though spirited at times, was enveloped in unconditional love.  He was the proud father and father-in-law of Donna DiFabio & her husband Nick of Billerica and Ed DiRocco and his wife Emily of Carlisle.  He was the extremely proud grandfather of Alex Loomis and her husband Nick of Harvard, Samantha McKay & her husband Gary of Billerica, Danny DiFabio of San Diego, Isabella DiRocco of Carlisle, Charlotte DiRocco of Carlisle and great-grandfather to Quinton and Callahan Loomis.  He was the brother of Lillian Bartolucci of Eastham, Mary Matarazzo of Somerville, Angela Daley of Somerville, the late Salvatore DiRocco, Virginia Dennehy, Louise Camara, Vera Vallesio, Robert DiRocco, Amelia DiFilippo and Peter DiRocco. 

There will be a Mass of Christian Burial celebrated at St. Margaret’s Church in St. Veronica Parish, 111 Winn St., Burlington on Monday, July 10 at 10 a.m. Services will conclude with a burial in Pine Haven Cemetery in Burlington. 

Memorials in Eddie’s name may be made to the Northeast Animal Shelter, www.northeastanimalshelter.org, 347 Highland Ave, Salem, MA 01970, or the Alzheimer’s Association.  https://www.alz.org

 For online guestbook and video tribute see www.sullivanfuneralhome.net.