Proud ‘Red Hat Lady’, volunteer at Aquarius Community Center and enjoyed people
MELROSE — Angela M. (DiGiovanni) Festa, 94, of Portsmouth N.H. and formerly long time resident of Melrose, passed away on April 29 after a brief period of declining health. Born April 24, 1929 in Boston, the daughter of Silvio DiGiovanni and Clara (Ciriello) DiGiovanni. Angela (Ann) grew up in Beachmont (Revere), graduating from Revere High School.
In 1949, she married Enrico M. Festa and moved to Melrose. For many years, Ann worked the lunch counter at Melrose Drug Center and then at the Melrose Donut Shop. She was well known and well liked by the “Regulars” and always enjoyed people. When she and “Eddie” left Melrose, they retired to Ogunquit, Maine and Marco Island, Florida, enjoying the beach and sharing great times with her friends. Ann was a proud “Red Hat Lady” and volunteer at the Aquarius Condominium Community Center.
Ann was the loving mother of three sons: Lawrence M. Festa and his wife Elvie of Cebu, Philippines; Michael E. Festa and his wife Sandra of Melrose; and Enrico M. Festa, Jr. and his wife Fatima, of York, Maine. She had four grandchildren: Michael, Danielle, Enrico and Giana and four great-grandchildren: Tommy, Alexandre, Lily and Heidi. She was the beloved mother-in-law to Suzanne and “nana” to Emeline Festa and James Keefe. Survived by her brother Joseph DiGiovanni of Winthrop and sister Dolores Ellsworth of Scottsdale, AZ. Ann was predeceased by her husband “Eddie” Festa and years later by her second husband, Michael Engel. Nieces, nephew, relatives and close friends.
Visiting hours were held at the Gately Funeral Home, 79 W. Foster St., Melrose on Tuesday, May 2, 2023 from 4 to 7 p.m.
A Celebration of life Funeral Service took place at the Gately Funeral Home, on Wednesday, May 3 at 10:00 a.m. Relatives and friends were respectfully invited to attend. Interment was in Wyoming Cemetery, Melrose.
In lieu of flowers, donations were made to a charity of choice or to the Aplomb Project of Dover, New Hampshire (a 501 ( c ) 3 non–profit) that supports victims of abuse through art, founded by Ann’s granddaughter Danielle. www.theaplombproject.org
