US Army veteran
WAKEFIELD — Jefferson Gaetano Cicia passed away peacefully at home November 24. The son of Concettina (DeMartinis) and Domenico Cicia, he was born November 4, 1932 in Boston and grew up in Somerville, graduating from Somerville Hight School. A veteran of the U. S. Army, he graduated from Tufts University and received a Master of Arts degree from Northeastern University. For many years he was an English teacher at Lynnfield High School while also working as assistant to the Athletic Trainer at the Tufts Athletic Department. He eventually left teaching and became Assistant Athletic Director for Facilities and Operations at Tufts.
He is survived by his wife of 64 years Nancy (Jones) Cicia; his children Laura (Michael) DiBacco of Reading; David (Teresa) Cicia of Litchfield, NH; Stephen Caesar of Florida; and Mark (Marta) Caesar-Iglesias of Key Biscayne, FL; and his grandchildren Tyler (Alexandra) Cicia; Joseph and Emma DiBacco; and Marco, Diego and Jorge Caesar-Iglesias.
Before moving to Reading, he lived for many years in Wakefield, where he was an active member of the Citizens Scholarship Foundation and the Wakefield Alliance Against Violence. A lifetime musician, he played in many bands including the Wakefield Redmen’s Band, the Middlesex Wind Ensemble (Wakefield Concert Band), the Retired Men’s Club Band (Wakefield Lakeside Concert Band), the Waltham American Legion Band and the Wakefield Summer Band.
A faithful Tufts alumnus, he was a member of the Tufts University Alumni Council which presented him with a Distinguished Service Award and the Tufts Jumbo Club which entered him into the Hall of Fame for Service to Tufts Athletics.
His funeral service will be held in the McDonald Funeral Home, 19 Yale Ave, Wakefield on Monday, December 2 at 12 p.m. Visitation will be held prior to the service from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Interment, Puritan Lawn Memorial Park, Peabody. In lieu of flowers please make contributions to Bread of Life, 54 Eastern Ave, Malden, MA 02148, breadoflifemalden.org or a charity of your choice. Visit mcdonaldfs.com.
