Alice M. (Zolla) DeMattia
Family & friends are invited to attend Visiting Hours on Friday, April 16th from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., in the Vertuccio & Smith, Home for Funerals, 773 Broadway (Rt. 107) REVERE for Alice M. (Zolla) DeMattia, who died on Sunday, April 11th at the Chestnut Woods Rehabilitation Center in Saugus, following a brief illness, she was 92 years old. A Funeral Service will follow the Visitation in the Funeral Home at 1:15 p.m., followed by interment in Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett. Face masks must be worn at all times & social distancing must be maintained in the funeral home. All attendees are required to provide their name and phone number for contact tracing and temperatures will be checked prior to entering the funeral home. Only 25 people are allowed in the Funeral Home at one time. Guests are asked to visit briefly and to exit the funeral home to allow others to enter.
Alice was born & raised in Revere and was a proud alumna of Revere High School, Class of 1947. As a young girl, Alice’s first & greatest love was Revere Beach. Alice loved being at the beach throughout the summers or simply walking along the beach taking in the ocean air & the beautiful serenity it bestowed. Many of Alice’s fondest and dearest memories were there. Alice & her family later moved to Lynn, where she remained most of her life, until moving to Melrose in the middle 1990’s. Alice worked in banking for most of her working career and was a Bank Manager at Chelsea Savings Bank. Alice had a great talent for playing the piano and would always entertain her family on holidays and events by playing. She was also an avid reader & loved to learn new things about people, history & places around the world. Alice was a devotee of St. Anthony of Padua Church in Revere & Our Lady of the Assumption Parish in Lynnfield and was also a member of Our Lady’s choir. Alice had a great devotion to affection to her family & all her nieces & nephews. She was the epitome of a lady of grace, her elegant presence & warm friendly smile was always how she presented herself. Throughout her life, Alice maintained the true spirit of giving & the role of caregiver to her entire family, notably to her parents, her sister Eleanor & brothers. And in her role as caregiver, she would deny any recognition or praise for her spontaneous giving & generosity. A Memorial Mass will be announced at a later time by Alice’s family.
She is the beloved wife of the late Stanley J. DeMattia. Dear sister of the late Fedele C. Perotti & her late husband Peter C. Perotti, Dr. Ralph Zolla, M.D. & his late wife Ida, Dr. Vito Zolla, D.D.M., & his late wife Helen, Dr. Henry “Hank” Zolla, D.D.M., Pilgrim Zolla & his late wife Fran, Joseph Zolla & his late wife Gina, Victor Zolla & Eleanor M. Nazzaro & her late husband Frank A. Nazzaro. She is survived by her sister-in-law Jennie Zolla of Bedford, MA. Cherished aunt of Frank J. Nazzaro & wife Marianne of Danvers, Paul J. Nazzaro of Jupiter, FL, Paula M. Nazzaro of Plano, TX , Diane M. Zolla – Hager & husband Kevin of Bedford, MA , Henry Zolla & wife Tina of Ossipee, NH, Stephen J. Zolla & wife Kathy of Bedford, MA, Dr. Laurence P. Perotti & wife Carolina of San Antonio, TX, Roberta A. Garrett of Katy, TX, Christine D. (Zolla) Ralton of Marshfield, Arlene A. Zolla of Walpole, J. David Zolla of Plainville, Anne C. (Zolla) Spitaleri of Winthrop, and many loving grandnieces, grandnephews, great-grandnieces & great-grandnephews.
In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959.
I always enjoyed my visits with Alice when my friend her niece Paula would come to stay with her. I would come to visit Paula and Alice would join us for a chat and always serve brownies and tea. She loved her nieces and nephews. She was a warm and kind lady.
Linda Carmichael
April 15, 2021 | Salem, MA | Friend
Our Aunt Alice meant so much to us. She provided unconditional love for us while always looking out for us. We ALWAYS knew above all else, that she had our best interests at heart, as we trusted her throughout these many years. Paul Jr experienced that as well, as he was a part of her life multiple times per week through the babysitting our mom (her sister Eleanor), provided. This included multiple visits to Gram/Alice/Vics’s house next door just like we as the Nazzaro children had, growing up. Alice’s influence was an important additive for ALL, as she contributed further to help my mom and dad raise us.
Pastimes, such as all of us sitting outside on our front porch on those beautiful days sharing our thoughts and experiences in life from little ones to our older years. Being a part of the Wednesday night dinners when our uncles would visit Alice, Gram, and Vic to feast on Gram and Alice’s homemade raviolis and eggplant parmigiana (note, we also had weekly Sunday and holiday dinners).
The Nazzaro’s next door always were available to partake then, and/or get all the leftovers we wanted. Gram taught Alice how to cook, and Alice evolved into a great cook as well. Paul Sr lived with Alice for a few years much later in life when he needed a place to be with family. He has a special place in his heart for Alice, in remembrance, appreciation, in addition to his growing, wider waistline while there. Paula learned from all this as well- in addition to Alice’s outstanding ethics, she additionally benefitted from learning a sense of style and quality from Alice. Everything matched and was stylish, and that was a further influence. Frank and Paul Jr will be in attendance at the services for Alice and can trade stories as well.
We all loved our Aunt Alice unconditionally, and she will remain in our hearts forever!!
Paul J and Paula M Nazzaro (from afar) and Paul Nazzaro Jr
Although Alice was only an occasional actress appearing on my life’s stage, those moments were a set of rich opportunities to see and experience her as a vital part of whatever gathering was happening–while I was a kid for the ‘fun’ times and later on as many of those occasions to gather became times for family grief. I always admired her kinship with sister Fidi and her unwavering support of my grandfather (her brother) and grandmother (sister-in-law). I even was a bit jealous that Alice and Fidi got to call my grandfather “Joey”. Family seemed to be Alice’s highest priority and greatest personal treasure. I enjoyed checking in with her occasionally by phone, one of the few people I knew still with a landline :-), and always felt a comfort that the ‘baby’ of my grandfather’s family was still around representing that cohort and she was still enjoying life despite the complications of getting older. My heart goes out to her closest souls–my extended family; though I really only know you from barbecues, reunions, and funerals of the past, you are all in my thoughts and prayers.
Love,
Jonathan (grandson of Joseph & Gena Zolla)
It has to be a little sad, being “the last one.” Aunt Alice, youngest of nine siblings, through the years bid all goodbye, one after another. And now, her leave marks the end of an era—the life of an entire family, to which she was a great blessing. In 91 years, she was a gracious and courageous survivor of many challenges. The quintessential mother hen, she kept busy looking after her family and those close to her, including 14 nieces and nephews. Living on the shore, I would always get a call when there was something to worry about—when weather was tough and power was out, etc. In time, as things became more quiet, as “the last one,” she was often on my mind, and I made it a point to keep in touch more often. Without a doubt, the isolation of the pandemic was trying for her, and I know she so appreciated having the faithful and loving support of Paul, Paula, Frank and Marianne, right down to the last minute—a job well done. Goodbye, pretty Auntie—you are loved and will be dearly missed!
Aunt Alice was a gentle soul who showed much kindness and concern toward her family and extended family. I appreciated her ready hospitality on every occasion. She was always in touch the last few years of my mother’s life, and I am glad that our conversations were an opportunity to get to know her a little better.
May she be at rest.
Arlene
Auntie, I miss you already. My eyes brim when I think of how you were there for my mother,especially in her later years. If love shows itself in actions, your love for your family was immense. So was their love for you. I’ve been blessed in many ways in life, but one of my most treasured blessings was you. Condolences to all our family. Alice will be sorely missed.
Dear Aunt Alice, What a caring aunt u were to the family. I’ll miss calling u, and our little talks. I remember all u did for many of them, amazing, too much for most people, the way u were there to drive my Dad to the hospital when he was sick for many months”.I love u too. RIP ❤️ Anne
I will always remember Aunt Alice, for the love she gave me and the quality time we shared, as she lived in the house next door to my family, the Nazzaro’s, which also included myself and my two siblings growing up (Frank and Paula). Aunt Alice, Uncle Vic, and Gram were also very involved in raising me from childhood, due to living just next door, loving us unconditionally, and like our parents, teaching us right from wrong as necessary. Also, as children, we would run back and forth in the dual backyard to her house, and often sit on the back (or front) steps and visit while enjoying the outdoors. It was a pastime!
Many times we would come over Aunt Alice’s house on Wednesday nights and sit with her, our Uncle Vic and grandmother, when they regularly opened their doors to the other brothers and sisters for dinner, on Wednesday nights. All regularly stopping by to visit for Gram’s Italian meals. Alice was always there helping to prepare and visit!
After growing up, Aunt Alice was also involved in babysitting my son, Paul Jr, along with my mother, (Eleanor) twice a week. Something as simple as that, nurtured Paul Jr and helped instill even more quality in his upbringing, that in turn, provided more happiness and simple enjoyment for Alice and my mom. So the generational qualities of that era evolved with my son, just as with my other cousins.
Aunt Alice, was always a caregiver and continued to be one, especially in the later years, of my life. Their was a rough time in my life, when I went through a period of not having a place to live with family for a total of 6 years. And there was Alice, with her door open for me to stay. I will alway be grateful to her for giving me a second chance in life, allowing me to move on successfully, to a better life. It was because of Aunt Alice’s love for family, that made it all possible.
Aunt Alice, always thought of family first and actively, took care of, many in her life, her mother, her husband, our mother, our Aunt Fidi, and our Uncle Vic, as they became sick and needed help throughout their later years in life.
Aunt Alice, will be sadly missed by all of us. I loved her dearly.
Nephew, Paul J Nazzaro
My deepest sympathy for your loss. I knew Alice many years past, threw Vito and Helen. Rest In Peace Alice.
Virginia
The Raynor Family
I am friend of Paula and Aunt Alice was always their for me too.
As Alice got older we did keep in touch by phone a few times each year. Alice was always a sweet ,caring person and always there to help no matter the task. My condolences to the family. She will be missed.
Aunt Alice,
I will love you and miss you FOREVER!!
Love,
Paula