“The best of wives and best of women.”
BOSTON — Antoinette L. (Andrea) Nixon, passed away Sunday, August 1, 2021, at home surrounded by her loved ones. Born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1928, Antoinette was the youngest of seven children born to Mary (Savino) Andrea and Manuel Andrea. After graduating from Saint Clements High School, she met her husband, Harold Nixon, and married on September 24, 1950. They were married for 50 years, and raised three daughters, before Harold passed in 2001.
Antoinette worked as a technician at Sylvania/GTE Labs for 25 years. After she left, she re-invented herself a number of times: an OA at the MGH, a bank teller at Neworld Bank, a receptionist at Miracle Ear in Burlington, and a bookkeeper among many other endeavors.
For many years, Ann was a member of the Saint Joseph’s Church Bingo Committee, which supported the church’s band, drill teams and color guard youth activities. She volunteered as a docent for Boston-by-Foot, and lead tours of Boston neighborhoods. She also volunteered at My Brother’s Table in Lynn in it’s earliest years.
Later, Antoinette became known as Nana, and Nana-Nana to the next generations. She enjoyed doting on her three grandchildren and five great grandchildren, introducing them to the world of musical theater, and fall foliage trips to New Hampshire.
Though her physical activities declined, she never lost her love of learning and reading. She read the Boston Globe daily, always reading the funnies first. She enjoyed local authors John Irving and Dennis Lehane, re-reading favorites like The Cider House Rules, in case she missed an important detail. This year alone, she read Ron Chernow’s Hamilton biography three times, but her take-away did not change: T. Jefferson was a jerk.
Antoinette, “The best of wives and best of women.”
Antoinette is the beloved wife of the late Harold Nixon. She is the devoted mother of Marie Shea and her late husband, Thomas; Andrea Nixon, and Nancy Mullen and her late husband, Edward. The cherished grandmother of Edward Mullen and his wife, Sarah and their children, Dorothy and Annie; Candice Gaudenzi and her husband, Jason and their children, Scarlett, Lorelei and Georgia; and Victoria Foley. Antionette is the dear sister of the late Anthony Andrea, Michael Andrea, Francis Andrea, Sister Gemma Andrea and Louise Andrea. She is also survived by loving nieces, Mary and Carol, nephews, Joseph and James and she is pre-deceased by nephews Anthony, Manuel and niece Louise.
Funeral from the Barile Family Funeral Home 482 Main Street (RT 28) Stoneham Thursday, August 5 at 8:45 a.m., followed by a funeral mass celebrating Antoinette’s eternal life in Saint Joseph’s Church, 173 Albion Street Wakefield at 10 a.m. Family and friends are cordially invited to gather and share memories with Antoinette’s family on Wednesday, August 4 from 4-7 p.m. in the Funeral Home. Parking attendants and elevator are available. Interment Forest Glade Cemetery, Wakefield.
Arrangements by the Barile Family Funeral Home, 482 Main Street (RT 28) Stoneham. For directions or to send a memorial condolence please visit www.barilefuneral.com or www.facebook.com/BarileFamilyFuneralHome.
