Teresa Adele Sartori Carollo, 99, of Framingham, Mass.
FRAMINGHAM, MASS.
>> Teresa Adele Sartori Carollo, 99, the matriarch of the Carollo family, slipped away peacefully on July 9, 2019, at Bethany Health Care Center in Framingham, Mass.
She lived a full and joyful life before enduring a courageous battle with Alzheimer’s. To those who knew and loved her, she was best known as Mamma, Nonna, and Bisnonna.
She was born in Calvene, Italy, on Feb. 9, 1920, to Giuseppe and Rosina Sartori, and was the third of five children. At the age of 15, she began working for the Italian Red Cross in Vicenza, Italy. When World War II arrived at her doorstep and residents were ordered to evacuate the city, Adele remained as an essential employee of the Red Cross. Her role was to provide families with the supplies and support they needed to survive. The lessons she learned during those formative years created a lifelong passion for savoring life to its fullest.
On Sept. 20, 1946, she married Albino Carollo, and together they began to craft a life and welcomed the birth of two daughters, Maria Teresa and Paola. In 1956, they made the decision to immigrate to the United States for many of the same reasons every immigrant leaves their country of birth — the opportunity to create a better life for themselves and their children. Passing under the light of the Statue of Liberty was a moment of hope and optimism for everyone. The family had no way of knowing the sacrifices they would make, the losses they would suffer, and the lifelong yearning they would endure for their birth families and home country. They only knew that they were entering a country that would give them a chance to work hard, continue to build a family, and change the trajectory of every generation that followed.
Their journey took them from Union City, N.J., to Hartville, Wyo., where their daughter, Anna, was born. Ultimately, they moved to Kingston, N.Y., where Adele lived most of her life before moving to Framingham in 2003.
Adele is remembered best as someone who was an avid lifelong learner. She had an insatiable curiosity and was endlessly fascinated by the world around her. She would often remark she had no idea how anyone could say they were bored when there was so much to learn and explore. She met every obstacle with equal measures of intelligence, resilience, and stubbornness — qualities that allowed her to survive and thrive throughout her entire life. When all else failed, she called upon her sense of humor and her ability to cite an appropriate Italian proverb that would put the entire situation in perspective.
Adele is survived by her daughters, Maria Carollo Figueroa of Framingham, Mass., Paola Carollo Orza and her husband Anthony Orza of Lakewood, N.J., Anna Carollo Cross and her husband Douglas Cross of Framingham Mass.; her grandchildren, Maria Figueroa Küpçü and her husband Murat Küpçü, of Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., Elena Figueroa Staroselsky and her husband Dennis Starolselsky, of Framingham, Mass., Nina Orza Reffie and her husband Rocco Reffie, of Toms River, N.J., Marco Cross and his wife Sarah Reusché of Providence, R.I., and Mia Cross of Framingham, Mass., and her fiancé Patrick Dolan of Brookline, Mass. She is also survived by her great-grandchildren, Luca and Leyla Küpçü, Chiara Staroselsky, and Angelina and Gia Reffie. In addition, she leaves behind a cadre of lifelong friends with whom she shared laughter and many adventures.
She was predeceased by her husband, Albino, as well as her parents and siblings.
The family wishes to thank all those who offered their friendship and kindness throughout Adele’s life. We are especially grateful for the skilled staff at Bethany and their endless reserve of patience and compassion throughout her 10-year journey with Alzheimer’s. Knowing that she was in such loving hands was a constant source of comfort for her family.
A funeral Mass will be held on Monday, July 22, 2019, at 10:15 a.m. in the Holy Spirit Chapel at Bethany Health Care Center, 97 Bethany Road, Framingham, Mass. Interment of her ashes will take place in Italy, where she will be reunited with her husband, Albino.
Funeral arrangements are entrusted to the care of Norton Funeral Home, Framingham.
To leave a message of condolence or sign the online guest book, please visit www.nortonfuneralhome.com.
In lieu of flowers and in honor of Adele’s lifelong commitment to education and social justice, a scholarship fund has been established to support Bethany Health Care Center staff members who wish to advance their healthcare careers. Donations may be directed to the Adele Carollo Scholarship Fund c/o Sr. Jacquelyn McCarthy, 97 Bethany Road, Framingham, Mass., 01702.