Loved to travel and knit
MELROSE — Antonina (Fici) Gibelli, 97, of Melrose died January 16. She was the wife of the late Louis W. Gibelli. She was born and raised in the North End of Boston.
She married in 1949 and moved to Melrose in 1954. She worked as a seamstress most of her life but her last 11 years in the workforce were as a cafeteria worker at Melrose High School. She loved to travel and planned many trips with her cousin Suzie and good friend Wanda. She loved playing Canasta with her good friends Lucy and Wanda. She was also a very crafty and talented lady! Along with her many arts and crafts projects, she knitted many baby sweaters, bonnets and booties. She also knitted many afghan blankets and donated many to the Milano Senior Center for various raffles. She enjoyed long walks around Melrose and hiking Breakheart with family and Chewy. At the Senior Center, she enjoyed eating lunch and playing bingo with friends.
She is the mother of William and wife Diane of Plymouth; Marilyn Walter and husband Lance of Plantsville, CT; Carol Nadeau of Melrose; and Arlene Raymond of Melrose. She is the grandmother to William Gibelli Jr. and his wife Virginia of Atlanta, GA; Jake and Jesse Raymond of Las Vegas, NV, Antonina and Roger Nadeau of Melrose; and Erin Walter and her husband David of Montclair, NJ. She was predeceased by her brother Leonard Fici and sister Ann Traverse. She is also survived by many loved nieces and nephews.
A final and familiar message from our mom, known to all who encountered her, “I love you.”
A funeral Mass was held at St. Mary’s Church, 4 Herbert St., Melrose, on Monday, January 22 at 10 a.m. Interment followed the Mass at Wyoming Cemetery, 205 Sylvan St., Melrose. Relatives and friends were respectfully invited to attend. Arrangements by Gately Funeral Home, Melrose. In lieu of flowers donations were made in her name to the Milano Senior Center, 201 West Foster St., Melrose, MA 02176. To send a message of condolence, please visit gatelyfh.com.