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 28^th, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.  Funeral Services will begin from the funeral home on Thursday, December 29^th, 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

Sign up for Obituary Updates and you’ll be notified when new obituaries are added. Simply enter your email address below and click “subscribe”.

Email*