Lucy Rita Motta

Lucy R. Motta, 99, passed away Saturday, July 20, 2019, after a short illness and just nine days before her 100th birthday, at the Jeffrey and Susan Brudnick Center for Living in Peabody, MA.

Born in Lawrence, on July 29, 1919, Lucy was the daughter of the late Cirino Cavallaro and Angela Rapisardi Cavallaro of Lawrence. She was raised in Lawrence and later on a farm in Andover. She attended Holy Rosary School.

Lucy was married to the late Anthony Motta of Lawrence and worked for nearly thirty years as a quality control inspector at Western Electric in North Andover. She also lived in Pleasant Valley, Methuen in a house built on her husband’s family farm and then in 1982 she moved to Manassas, VA to live with her daughter when her husband became ill. In 1998, Lucy moved to Lynn, MA, where she lived independently for twenty years in an apartment in her daughter’s house, until she became ill in 2018 and moved to the Jeffrey and Susan Brudnick Center for Living in Peabody.

Like her mother before her, Lucy was expert in knitting and crocheting and made many beautiful sweaters, vests, scarfs, blankets and spreads. She also enjoyed her time spent in Truro on Cape Cod.

Lucy was predeceased by her brothers: Sam, Augustine, and Alfio and her sisters: Josephine Freni, Agatina Cavallaro, Rose Pulverenti, Carmela Bellia, Prudence Candela, and Mary Cavallaro.

Lucy is survived by her son, Anthony Motta and wife, Susan Schmitter-Motta of Logan, OH and her daughter, Camille Motta and spouse, Margaret Thompson of Lynn, MA; two grandchildren: Christopher Motta of Sugar Grove, OH and Katharine Motta of Oakland, CA; and three great-grandchildren: Jacob, Hannah and Andru Motta, children of Christopher and Jodi Motta. In addition, Lucy is survived by numerous nieces and nephews, great-nieces and nephews, and great-great-nieces and nephews.

The family wishes to thank the outstanding staff of the Brudnick Center in Peabody for their expert and loving care of Lucy during her sixteen month stay there. Gratitude also goes out to Care Dimensions for their compassionate end of life care.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend visiting hours on Sunday, July 28, 2019 from 4:00-8:00 PM at Cataudella Funeral Home, 126 Pleasant Valley Street in Methuen. Her funeral mass will be celebrated at 10:00 AM on Monday, July 29, 2019 at Corpus Christi Parish at Holy Rosary Church, 35 Essex Street in Lawrence. Burial will be in Bellevue Cemetery in Lawrence.