US veteran
ANDOVER — Alfred J. Tassinari, age 92, of Andover, formerly of Wakefield passed away peacefully at the Andover Manor Nursing Center on March 21.
Mr. Tassinari was born in Arlington on March 6, 1933 and was the son of the late Gaetano and Teda (Borghi) Tassinari. Alfred was raised in Arlington on Cleveland St. where he met the love of his life, his wife Carol Tassinari. Alfred and Carol married in April of 1958 and spent 51 years together until Carol’s death in 2009. Al and Carol resided on Outlook Rd. in Wakefield where they raised their five children.
Alfred attended Boston College where he walked onto the baseball team and played third base as a starter for three years. Al was invited to try out for the MLB Detroit Tigers after his graduation. Al served in the Korean War as a member of the 7th Infantry division of Postal Service. Although baseball was Al’s passion he settled into sales for his entire life where he spent most of that time at Nabisco and then as an Executive VP at Fine Products for 17 years. Al was inducted into the National Candy Hall of Fame in 2003 as one of only six inductees that year. Al credited his sales success to mentor like Jack Hennesey who he worked with and were dear friends.
When Al was not working, he loved spending time umpiring baseball games, attending one of his five children’s sports activities or playing golf at Bear Hill Country Club in Stoneham where he was a member for over 40 years. Al was always seen or “heard” at one of his 12 grandchildren’s sporting events or activities. His 12 grandchildren will fondly remember him as “Papa” or “Grandpa.”
He was the beloved husband of the late Katherine Carol (Lanigan) Tassinari. He was the loving father of Lisa Levy and her husband Robert of North Andover; David Tassinari and his companion Gerda Chase of Seabrook, NH; Michael Tassinari and his wife Joan of Bel Air, MD; Kevin Tassinari and his wife Gayle of Alton Bay, NH; and Scott Tassinari and his companion Mikaela D’Alessandro of Middleton. He was the brother of the late Robert and Gloria Tassinari. He is also survived by 12 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren.
His funeral Mass will be celebrated in St. Joseph Church, 173 Albion St., Wakefield on Thursday, March 27 at 10 a.m. Visitation for relatives and friends at the McDonald Funeral Home, 19 Yale Ave., Wakefield on Wednesday, March 26 from 4 to 7 p.m. Interment, Lakeside Cemetery, Wakefield. For the online guestbook and directions, please visit mcdonaldfs.com.