Sukontha ‘Susie’ Rockwood Waitress at Revere’s China Roma Sukontha “Susie” Rockwood died at her Chelsea home after a two year battle with cancer on March 20. She was 65 years old. A native of Bangkok, Thailand, she arrived in the United States in 1970, making her home in Everett. In 1988, she moved to Chelsea. For more than 20 years, until February of 2010 when she retired due to illness, she was a popular waitress at the China Roma Restaurant on Broadway, Revere. “Susie” as she was affectionately known, was a “most popular personality” at the restaurant. She had an uncanny energy about her work and life in general. She had a faithful following and people always asked for her when they patronized the restaurant. She was the cherished mother of Tommy S. Rockwood and his wife, Margo, of Chelmsford and Deborah L. McKinnon and her husband, James, of Everett; the devoted grandmother of Amaya N., Stone E. and Solenn L. Rockwood, all of Chelmsford, and Shaymus S. and Skyar S. McKinnon, both of Everett. She also leaves behind her faithful and loving companion, “Miss Ruby D” and three brothers, one sister and several nieces and nephews in Thailand. She was the loving and caring companion of 30 years to Kenneth J. Higgins of Chelsea and the dear surrogate sister of Michelina “Michelle” Cardone of Chelsea. Family and friends are invited to attend visiting hours on Friday, March 25 beginning at 9 a.m. in the Vertuccio & Smith Home for Funerals, 773 Broadway (Route 107) Revere. A funeral service will follow in the funeral home at 11 a.m. Burial will be in Puritan Lawn Memorial Cemetery, West Peabody. Remembrances may be made to the MSPCA-ANGELL, 350 So. Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02130-9923. – Maria DiSalvo Accomplished Bocce player, played every year with Boston’s Mayor Menino Maria D. (Padula) DiSalvo died at the Kindred Hospital in Peabody on March 20. She was 84 years old. Mrs. DiSalvo was born in Civitanova del Sannio, Italy on May 14, 1926 to the late Domenico and Lucia (Lastoria) Padula. She was raised in Italy and came to the United States in 1957 at the age of 31. She lived in Revere for a short time and was a resident of Chelsea until 2005. She has lived in Melrose with her daughter for the past six years. A loving wife, mother and homemaker who cherished the time spent with her family, Mrs. DiSalvo was a longtime member of St. Rose of Lima Church in Chelsea and was well known at the Chelsea Senior Center; where she enjoyed dancing, bowling and was an accomplished bocce player. She looked forward to playing bocce with Mayor Menino every year. She was the beloved wife of 64 years of Michael DiSalvo; devoted mother of Domenic DiSalvo and his wife, Dorothy, of Billerica, Adele Dantona of Melrose and the late Rita DiSalvo and the late Lucia “Lucy” DeSimone; loving grandmother of Michael and his wife, Gen, of Montreal, Daniel and his fiancée, Arlene, of Stow, Andrea and her fiancé, Matthew, of Tewksbury and Brittany and Anthony Dantona of Melrose; great grandmother of Ariana, Bella, Lauren, Domenic and Ashley. Her Funeral will be held from the Gately Funeral Home, 79 W. Foster St. Melrose, today, Thursday, March 24 at 9:30 a.m. A Funeral Mass to celebrate her life will be held at St. Rose of Lima Church, 601 Broadway, Chelsea at 11 a.m. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. Entombment will be at the Holy Cross Mausoleum in Malden. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Donor Services, P.O. Box 4072, Pittsfield, MA 01202. To sign guest book please visit www.gatelyfh.com – Ruth Fox Chelsea resident
Obituaries 03-24-2011
