Obituary of Leona M. Angelo

Lee Angelo was born Leona Mae Robbs on July 1, 1942 in Boston, MA. Raised in Dorchester, MA by Florence and Russell Robbs, she was named after her grandmother whom she loved dearly and was nicknamed “Little Leona”.  She loved music and dancing and had delicate and classic features along with a bright spirit and big heart which made her a true beauty, inside and out. 

Her brother Russ came home from the Navy one day in 1965 with his two best buddies, Arty Walsh and Jim Angelo. Jim took one look at Lee, turned to Russ and said, “I’m going to marry your sister.” Russ laughed, and three months later Jim and Lee were married. 

Together they raised four children: Debbie, Denise and Darlene, and Jimmy, Jr.  Lee dedicated her life to being a wife, mother and member of her community. Moving to Arlington and eventually settling in Burlington, Lee took up bowling at the Brunswick BowlAWay Lanes every Tuesday morning.  She and Jim attended the opening of the Burlington Mall in 1968 and supported small business owners like Marsha Higgins and her family as they opened the New Image Hair Salon where she was a beloved client and friend for over 50 years. She was a cheerleading coach, a Camp Fire leader and supported every activity in which all of her children participated over the years.

Lee faced much adversity in her life.  Recognizing the family disease of alcoholism, she chose to learn about the disease to be of better support to her family. She overcame colon cancer, faced excruciating migraine headaches, and many other physical challenges that most people would have crumbled over. 

In 1977, Jim and Lee Angelo began an Amway business they started in their home on 10 Leroy Drive. They built a successful business in the US, Italy, Brazil and the Caribbean. They became motivational speakers. Lee was charming and authentic on stage as she told her life story across America. She helped many women feel good about themselves through sharing her adversities and lending her natural gifts for makeovers through the Amway beauty line. They traveled the world with friends, Bill and AnnaMae Wright, and met lifelong friends like Barbara Fish.

Lee was kind and loved to laugh. She embraced being a proud mother, grandmother and great-grandmother with poise and grace. She will forever be loved and thought of with great affection and admiration by all who were fortunate enough to meet and know her.  Lee, you were one of a kind, and heaven now has a classy and generous angel looking out for us all.  May you rest in perfect peace, you’ve earned your wings. 

Lee was the loving mother of Deb Tobin and her wife, Maureen McCue of Waltham, Denise Walsh and her husband, Bill, of Maynard, Darlene Angelo-Cherubino of Dalton, GA, and James Michael Angelo of New York, NY. She was the proud grandmother of Colleen Bates and her husband, Nick, Joseph Cherubino, Jr., Nick Sbraccia, Bella Holloway, Billy Walsh, Matt Walsh, and the late Aimee Tobin.  She was the great grandmother of Aiva Tobin, Jordan and Bryson Bates.  Lee was the sister of Russ and Margaret Robbs (Quincy, MA), Ron and Rita Robbs (Jacksonville, FL), Sandy Robbs (Harwich, MA), the late Eleanor and Robert Jimenez and the late Robert Robbs & his surviving wife Carla Robbs of Qunicy.  She was beloved by many nieces, nephews, godchildren, cousins and friends.

Visiting hours will be held at the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn St., Burlington, MA on Friday, December 8 from 4-7 p.m. Funeral from the Sullivan Funeral Home on Saturday, December 9 at 9:30 a.m. and will conclude with a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Margaret’s Church in St. Veronica Parish, www.stveronicama.org, 111 Winn St., Burlington at 10 a.m. Interment will be private.  Memorial donations in lieu of flowers may be made in Lee’s name to People Helping People,  www.peoplehelpingpeopleinc.org, P.O. Box 343, Burlington, MA 01803.  For obituary, Online guestbook, video tribute and link to view funeral mass see www.sullivanfuneralhome.net

Her family will keep Lee’s memory alive as a long time Burlington resident with an “in memoriam” tree and plaque at the Burlington Common grounds across from the Town Hall for all to visit.