LYNN — Adelaide Arena, age 102, beloved aunt, sister and friend, passed away at the Grosvenor Park Nursing Home on Friday, Sept. 23, 2016, after a brief illness.
Born and raised in the Brickyard neighborhood and a lifelong resident of Lynn, she was the daughter of the late Angelo and Angelina (Lauricella) Arena and one of nine close and loving siblings: the late Simon, Charles, John, Bartholomew and Lisa Arena, Aurora Vaccaro, Ida Mae Polese and Francesca O’Blenes. Educated in the Lynn public schools, Ms. Arena was a dedicated nurse at a military hospital during World War II. For over 40 years and until her retirement in 1979, she worked as a skilled instrument technician at General Electric in Lynn.
Throughout her life, Ms. Arena participated enthusiastically and generously in the social and cultural life of the community. A talented artist, she painted local landscapes as well as family and friends and was a longtime member of the West Lynn Art Association. She will also be remembered for her love of poetry and song, including her many years of singing with the Sweet Adelines Chorus. Always active and adventuring, Ms. Arena was an enthusiastic bowler, avid horseback rider, a true supporter of the arts and a fearless traveler, who regaled family and friends with tales of her adventures. But family was her greatest love and joy – she was a devoted daughter, sister, and aunt, she was a loving mentor for the young, and she graced every family event with her vibrant presence and love of life.
For the past several years, Ms. Arena has been a resident of the Grosvenor Park Nursing Home, where she participated in every activity, continued to paint, entertained with song and poetry at every celebration and made many good friends.
Ms. Arena leaves many loving nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
Service information: Funeral from the Cuffe-McGinn Funeral Home, 157 Maple St., Lynn, on Friday, Sept. 30, 2016, at 9:30-10:30 a.m., followed by a funeral Mass in Holy Family Church, 26 Bessom St., Lynn, at 11 a.m. Burial will follow in St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Lynn. Family and friends are invited to gather during the one hour of visitation prior to the Mass. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Adelaide’s memory may be made to the: MSPCA, PO Box 55130, Boston, MA 02205-5130. For online guest book, please visit Cuffemcginn.com.
