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Mary P. (Gravallese) Stefano

Family and friends are invited to attend Visiting Hours in the Vertuccio & Smith, Home for Funerals, 773 Broadway (Route 107), Revere, on Wednesday, December 28th, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.  Funeral Services will begin from the funeral home on Thursday, December 29th, at 10:00 a.m., followed by a Funeral Mass at St. Joseph-St. Lazarus Church, 59 Ashley Street, East Boston, at 11:00 a.m.  Interment will be held privately. 

Mary Paula (Gravallese) Stefano, 80, passed away on December 14, 2022, after a courageous battle with Alzheimer’s.

Born in Malden, Massachusetts, she was the beloved daughter of John M. and Camille M. (Casella) Gravallese, and was raised in East Boston, where she attended Fitton.  She later obtained her hair dressing license and was employed as a stylist and teacher at Solari Hair Salon in Winthrop.  She married Frederick Stefano, Jr., in 1964, after a seven-year courtship, and enjoyed almost 60 years of marriage.  The couple started their life together on St. Andrew Road in Orient Heights and then moved to Winthrop, where they raised their daughters.  Mary was well known in the community and was busy working from home, cutting, coloring, and perming the hair of her friends and neighbors.  She enjoyed all the community had to offer, including being a town meeting member, spending days at Winthrop Beach with friends and family, and riding her bike, alongside the other moms, with her toddler daughter on the back.  She eventually became a beauty merchandiser for Revlon and later represented Lancôme at Macy’s.  Everyone who knew her admired her impeccable style and beauty.

Family brought Mary happiness.  She and her daughters were very close, and she found further joy with the birth of her grandchildren.  She was fortunate to have many lifelong friends from childhood, in addition to those she made throughout her life.  Mary was the number one fan of her husband’s artwork.  Above all, she loved to travel throughout North America and Europe.  In later life, she was her husband’s companion in his golf cart, riding around the course at the Winthrop Golf Club, and on many days, Mary and Fred could be spotted walking along the shore of Constitution Beach in East Boston. 

Mary took pleasure in spending time at her daughter’s New Hampshire lake house, so it was fitting that for her final years, she was cared for with love and dignity by the wonderful staff at Grace House in Windham.

Mary was the cherished wife of Frederick of Winthrop; devoted mother of Lisa Stefano of Winthrop and Jennifer and Brian Becker of Pelham, New Hampshire; dear grandmother (“May May”) of Elizabeth and the late Kathryn Haggerty of Winthrop, and Andrew and Aiden Becker, both of Pelham, New Hampshire.  She was the treasured sister of John J. Gravallese and his late wife Roberta, both of Wakefield, and the late Richard Gravallese.  Mary is also lovingly survived by many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

In lieu of flowers, remembrances in her name may be made to Uncommon Threads (uncommonthreads.org/monetary-donations; specify Mary’s name in the comment section). 


Services

Visiting Hours

Wednesday, December 28th from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the Funeral Home

Funeral Mass

Thursday, December 29th at 11:00 a.m. in St. Joseph – St. Lazarus Church, East Boston

Interment

Will be Private


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  1. David Dwork
    Dec 23 2022

    Fred I’m so sorry to hear of your loss. What a beautiful person. You a so blessed to have had 60 years together. Amy and my thoughts are with you. David

  2. Lorraine Butler
    Dec 22 2022

    I don’t know you I’m so sorry to hear about your wife passing she is now resting in peace may god be with you and your family

  3. Linda & Jesse Costa
    Dec 21 2022

    May God’s love bring you comfort and peace during this difficult time..

    At time of mourning, we often feel that we are distant from those we love. Actually, they are united with us now more than ever before. NO more do they know the restraints of the human condition. Now they are able to love us with a deeper love, a fuller love, a love that is enriched by God’s own love. No, death does not separate us from those we love. It deepens our union with God and with each other.

  4. Beth
    Dec 20 2022

    My sincere condolences to Jennifer, Lisa, Fred and extended family. Mary was more like family growing up .I will always remember the trips me, my mom, Mary and Jennifer would take together. I will miss her vibrant spirit.

  5. Chelsea Burke
    Dec 20 2022

    Mary Stefano is an amazing woman, and I am so thankful to have cared for her at this hard stage in her life. No matter what she always gave me a smile, or greeted me by calling me darling or honey. I’ll never forget her singing silly songs, and watching her beautiful daughter jen style her hair and make up. The memory of my dear may may will live on here at the grace house, and she’ll always be with me in my heart ❤️

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To all our families, friends, and residents of Revere, East Boston, and surrounding communities of the North Shore,

We would like to announce that after 37 years of caring for thousands of families at our 773 Broadway location, on January 31st, 2023 we will be officially RELOCATING, to our new location at 262 Beach St., Revere.
On September 30th, 2022, we proudly purchased the Vazza “Beechwood” Funeral Home – DiPietro and Vazza, Inc. A name that has served families for 102 years. We feel blessed that with all of the interest, the Vazza Family chose us to carry on their century old business and family name. We will become Vertuccio Smith & Vazza, Beechwood Home for Funerals. We will continue to honor the Vazza name and continue our commitment the same way that we always have. We also look forward to having both Louis Vazza and Jessica Vazza Ferragamo alongside of us, as we come together as one.
Our reputation has always been our biggest asset. For many years people always wanted us to have a larger facility, now our facility is the largest funeral home in the area. We will be making many beautiful upgrades to allow our families to have the most elegant facility to honor their loved one.
Although this announcement is bittersweet, as we say goodbye to our home, we are forever grateful for all of you for placing your constant faith and trust in us to care for your loved one. We will continue to do what we are best known for.
Thank you for your friendship and continued support.
God bless you all.
Faithfully,

Your friends at Vertuccio Smith and Vazza.

To all our families, friends, and residents of Revere, East Boston, and surrounding communities of the North Shore,

We would like to announce that after 37 years of caring for thousands of families at our 773 Broadway location, on January 31st, 2023 we will be officially RELOCATING, to our new location at 262 Beach St., Revere.

On September 30th, 2022, we proudly purchased the Vazza “Beechwood” Funeral Home – DiPietro and Vazza, Inc. A name that has served families for 102 years. We feel blessed that with all of the interest, the Vazza Family chose us to carry on their century old business and family name. We will become Vertuccio Smith & Vazza, Beechwood Home for Funerals. We will continue to honor the Vazza name and continue our commitment the same way that we always have. We also look forward to having both Louis Vazza and Jessica Vazza Ferragamo alongside of us, as we come together as one.

Our reputation has always been our biggest asset. For many years people always wanted us to have a larger facility, now our facility is the largest funeral home in the area. We will be making many beautiful upgrades to allow our families to have the most elegant facility to honor their loved one.

Although this announcement is bittersweet, as we say goodbye to our home, we are forever grateful for all of you for placing your constant faith and trust in us to care for your loved one. We will continue to do what we are best known for.

Thank you for your friendship and continued support.

God bless you all.

Faithfully,

Your friends at Vertuccio Smith and Vazza.