Longtime Board Member of the New England Food Foundation
MARSTONS, MILLS — Joseph S. Cerretani, of Marstons Mills, formerly of Melrose, died peacefully at home surrounded by his loving family on April 10, 2022 at the age of 86. Joe was born in Wakefield on January 17, 1936 to the late Orlando “Joe” and Marion (Steeves) Cerretani.
He was raised in Melrose and could be found at the Lincoln School playground playing any sport imaginable or at his family’s grocery store on East Foster Street helping his father, mother, and uncles with packing up and delivering orders. He graduated from Melrose High School where he played football and ran track. He excelled at football where he was a four-year starter with many accolades (too many to name here) including Recipient of the Fred Green Memorial Trophy and was inducted into the Melrose High School Hall of Fame of which he was very proud.
Joe attended Boston College for two years and was then drafted into the Army from 1958-1960 and then called back from 1961-1962 during the Berlin Crisis. Upon his honorable discharge he came home to work in his family’s expanding Grocery Store with his father and uncles and worked hard to help in its expansion from one small storefront on East Foster Street to five full-service supermarkets (Cerretani’s Supermarkets) and one specialty (The Gourmet Store). Joe was very active in the business community as he sat on the Board of Directors for Shawmut Bank and was an active member of the Massachusetts Food Association.
Joe also found time to volunteer and was a President, Man of the Year recipient and longtime Board Member of the New England Food Foundation which in conjunction with the Archdiocese of Boston, helped to house, counsel, and educate needy children. Joe was very proud of the work they did to purchase and expand the Father Sullivan Cape House in Sandwich. He was also a long-time member of the Boys and Girls Town of Italy which helped struggling children and families.
In 1959, Joe married his high school sweetheart Elizabeth “Betty” Kiley. Together they raised their family in Melrose and shared 58 wonderful years with tremendous love and respect for each other. They enjoyed summers in Cotuit (Cape Cod), winters in Naples, Fla. and traveled across the USA and Europe. Betty suffered a long illness before her death in 2017 and Joe was an inspiration to all that knew him as he was by her side caring for her without a complaint. It was beautiful.
Joseph was the proud and loving father of Ellen DeOrsey and her husband, Michael, of Colchester, Vt.; Joseph Cerretani Jr. and his wife, LeeAnn, of Mansfield and an Angel named Kara. Proud grandfather of Brianna, Brendan, and Nicole DeOrsey, and Courtney and Kyle Cerretani. Brother of the late Robert W. Cerretani. Also survived by his loving companion Beverly Niit.
Visitation will be held at the Gately Funeral Home, 79 W. Foster St. Melrose, on Tuesday, April 19, 2022, from 4 – 7 p.m. A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, April 20, 2022 at St. Mary’s Church, 9 Herbert St. Melrose. Interment to follow at Wyoming Cemetery, Melrose. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made in memory of Joseph S. Cerretani to support Dr. Gregory Abel’s Research Fund at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, P.O. Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284. To leave an online message of condolence please visit gatelyfh.com. 
