Nellie J. (Torrisi) DiStefano, 91, of Methuen, MA, passed away on Monday, July 19, 2021. She was born on March 26, 1930 and raised in Lawrence, MA, and was the daughter of Josephine and Louis Torrisi.
Growing up, Nellie attended Lawrence Schools and graduated from Lawrence High in 1948. She went on to graduate from Merrimack College, majoring in Business and also MacIntosh School of Business.
Nellie worked at Korbey Heating and Oil Co. as a bookkeeper until she married Salvatore, the love of her life, on September 20, 1953. They relocated to Washington, DC and Maryland, where she worked at City Bank. She and Salvatore had two children while living there. They returned to Massachusetts in 1958, where she worked for Cyr Oil Co. and then Tau-Tron, a Division of General Signal, for over twenty years, until her retirement. However, not one to be idle, she took on substitute teaching in the Lawrence and Andover School systems for several years.
A devoted parishioner of Holy Rosary Church, now Corpus Christi Parish, Nellie was an active member and past president of the Blessed Virgin Sodality. While raising her family, Nellie was a Den Mother for the Scouts, where she could be found tucking in many uniform shirts, sewing on merit badges, and working on may projects with “her” little cubs. She was active in coordinating activities for church functions, parties and social events for school, PTA, her husband’s bowling league, and many family affairs. She was an avid cake decorator and many of these functions were graced with her incredible creations.
Sal and Nellie had the pleasure of travelling during their retirement. They enjoyed cruises and vacations to England, Canada, Hawaii, the Virgin Islands, Italy and Sicily. They also loved going to Mohegan and Foxwood Casinos where you had to keep an eye on them as they zipped around on their scooters!
Nellie loved quilting and was always making something for someone. Those fortunate enough to be recipients of these beautiful gifts will treasure these works of art forever.
One thing Nellie will be most remembered for was her love of family….and feeding them! She cooked and baked for family and friends and always had enough to feed an army. She loved entertaining and having her family and friends over for a “little snack.” She was an incredible cook and her family treasures the legacy of the recipes she has passed on to them. Recently, she even became a YouTube sensation with a demo of her creating her famous Spinach Balls and Spanakopita! Her family was the pride of her life. It wasn’t unusual to find her flipping through her cell phone showing everyone pictures of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She is predeceased by her loving husband, Salvatore; grandson, Joshua DiStefano; and her beloved sister, Carmela (Torrisi) Marino.
Nellie is survived by her son, John S. DiStefano and his wife Cindy of Kingston, NH and daughter, Angela Buckley of Methuen, MA; grandchildren: David DiStefano and his partner Courtney DelGreco of Salem, NH, Daniel DiStefano and his wife Annie of Mashpee, MA, and Rachel-Morgan and her husband Eric Lanouette of Goffstown, NH; and great-grandchildren: Lillian Paige Lanouette and Thomas-Joseph Lanouette of Goffstown, NH; sister-in-law, Rosemary Girard of Tallahassee, FL; several cousins, nieces, nephews, and countless friends, as well as Joe Comforti, Hank Ibel, Gail Bartashy, and Carolyn Phillips, who had the pleasure of being able to refer to her as their second mom. She will be deeply missed.
Family and friends are respectfully invited to attend calling hours on Monday, July 26, 2021, from 4:00-7:00 PM at Cataudella Funeral Home, 126 Pleasant Valley Street in Methuen. Her funeral mass will take place on Tuesday, July 27, 2021, at 11:00 AM at St. Lucy Church in Methuen. Burial will be in Immaculate Conception Cemetery in Lawrence.