Ran Orient Heights market with her husband

Published in the December 18, 2015 edition

Campochairo-obit-webWAKEFIELD — Fannie (DeBole) Campochiaro, 98, of Wakefield and formerly of East Boston, passed away peacefully at Sawtelle Family Hospice House on Friday, Dec. 11.

Born in Wakefield on Dec. 31, 1916, Fannie was one of six children raised in East Boston of the late Leo and Maryann (Cutana) DeBole. As a young high school student, Fannie stayed home during the day to help raise her younger brothers. She attended school at night, learning from a young age the importance of a strong, loving family.

On Sept. 21, 1941, she married Guy Campochiaro at Mt. Carmel Church in East Boston. After living in California and Malden for several years, they returned to East Boston buying a local grocery, Shelby Market, in Orient Heights. There they lived, above the store for many years, supplying friends and neighbors with grocery items nearly seven days a week. They looked forward to their day off on Monday when during the summer they often enjoyed day trips to Beaver Lake in New Hampshire with Fannie’s brother, Sal, and his family.

Over the years, Fannie and Guy traveled to see family in Italy and spent winters in California with their son, Guy, and his family. Closer to home, Fannie loved watching her grandchildren grow and whenever anyone would come visit would have plenty of food ready. She loved cooking, baking and was known for her often replicated, never duplicated biscotti and meatballs. True to her Italian heritage, she loved family parties, holidays and always had enough food for everyone.

In her free time, she enjoyed crocheting, watching the Lawrence Welk show with her husband on Saturday nights and loved returning to see her friends in East Boston for weekly craft meetings at the Senior Center. After Guy passed away in 1993, Fannie’s strength and independence allowed her to continue living on her own through her mid 90s. Fannie’s love of family, her understanding nature and optimistic outlook, will always be treasured by her family.

Fannie was the beloved wife of the late Guy Campochiaro with whom she shared 52 years of marriage. She was the devoted mother of Guy M. Campochiaro and his wife Patty of Granada Hills, Calif. and Linda Camier and her husband Pete of Wakefield. She was the dear sister of the late Pasquale, Joseph, Leo, Angelo and Salvatore DeBole. She was the sister-in-law of Joanne DeBole of Royal Palm Beach, Fla. She was the cherished grandmother of Lisa Wagner and her husband Bruce, Michael Campochiaro and his wife Kristie, Christopher Campochiaro, Gregory Camier and his wife Melanie, Peter Camier and Nicole Pope and her husband Adam. Loving great-grandmother of Timothy, Ashley, Erin, Morgan, Amy, Lucy, Michael, Amber and Gregory.

Relatives and friends gathered in honor and remembrance of Fannie’s life during visiting hours at the Robinson Funeral Home, 809 Main St., Melrose on Tuesday, Dec. 15 from 4 to 8 p.m., and again on Wednesday for her funeral service celebrated at 9 a.m.

Interment in Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett.

Gifts in Fannie’s memory may be made to the Sawtelle Family Hospice House, 320 Haverhill St., Reading MA 01867.

For online tribute or to share a memory, visit RobinsonFuneralHome.com.