WAKEFIELD — Armando Joseph Roberto Sr., a longtime Wakefield resident, died Wednesday, Oct. 22 at the EN Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital in Bedford after a battle with lung cancer.
Armando, known as “Mundo,” was born Sept. 28, 1926 and was the son of the late Carmine Antonio and Maria Rose Roberto. He was named after one of the four great generals of WWI, Italy’s soldier/poet Armando Victorio Diaz. He was the couple’s fourth son and seventh child.
Mundo attended Wakefield High School and served as captain of the Warrior football team. Mundo was drafted in his senior year but was able to join the Navy. He attended boot camp in January of 1945 in Sampson, N.Y. and then returned to Wakefield to complete his studies and graduate with his class. Upon graduation, he was assigned to the newly christened cruiser, the USS Los Angeles. In July of 1945 he set sail along with 1,600 men and officers from Philadelphia on the ship’s maiden voyage to the Pacific theater. His journey took him to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba on to Long Beach, Calif., through Pearl Harbor before finally crossing the International Date Line in December of 1945 and arriving in Shanghai, China in January of 1946. Mundo was a certified Plank Owner of the USS Los Angeles. He was a Cruiser Sailor. He followed the ship’s motto “Non Sibi Sed Patriae,” which meant “not for self but for country.”
Mundo left the service in 1946 and returned to Wakefield, where his love for dance led him to the Boat House on Lake Quannapowitt where he met his future wife. In 1948 he married Marie B. Dorazio and they made their home in Malden. They moved to Summer Street in Wakefield in 1954, where they would go on to raise their three sons Mundo Jr., Steven and Donald. He and Marie loved to entertain and hosted many family gatherings at their home. Everyone was also welcome and the food was delicious.
Mundo ran his own landscaping business for many years. He retired from the Boston Naval Shipyard where he had been a pipe coverer. He always enjoyed helping his sons with their building projects.
Mundo was very proud of his military service and was a member of the USS Los Angeles Calif. 135 Association, the Cruiser Sailors, the USS Los Angeles Museum in Long Beach, Calif., the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), the Saugus Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post, the Wakefield American Legion, the Sampson Sailors and the Tin Can Sailors. He was also very active in the Wakefield Elks and was celebrated as Man of the Year. He was a past president and lifetime member of the Crystal Community Club and was also an active and longtime member of the Hanover, N.H. Lions Club and Malden Moose Club.
Mundo’s love for dancing continued after the loss of his wife Marie and ultimately led him to meeting his longtime companion, Lois Jordan of Quincy.
Mundo is survived by his sister Florence McKenna and brother, Alfred Roberto, both of Wakefield; his sons and their wives/partners, Armando J. and Elizabeth E. Roberto of Etna, N.H., Steven C. Roberto and Pam O’Connor of Stoneham, Donald P. and Debra A. Roberto also of Stoneham; his grandchildren Steven C. Roberto Jr., Armando J. Roberto III., Maria R. Sagarino, Scott M. Roberto, Anthony O. Roberto, Nikki Roberto, Shannon E. Burgess and Danielle Keefe. He is also survived by his 12 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by siblings Archangelo Roberto, Nicholas Roberto, Yolanda R. Ballou, Rosina Mahoney and Mary Milligan.
Funeral from the McDonald Funeral Home, 19 Yale Ave. on Wednesday 9 a.m. followed by a funeral Mass in St. Patrick Church, 71 Central St., Stoneham at 10 a.m. Visitation for relatives and friends at the funeral home on Tuesday from 4 to 8 p.m. Interment will be at Forest Glade Cemetery in Wakefield.
