Erminia "Emma" (Rico) Colasante of Malden died Monday in the Lawrence Memorial Hospital. Born in Pretoro, Italy, she was the daughter of the late Nicola and Anna (Bassi) Rico. Emma was employed as a Unit Aid at Malden Hospital. She brought lots of joy to all who knew her.

She was the beloved wife of Damaso "Tony" Colasante, and the devoted mother of Serafina Colasante-Tassi and her husband Richard Tassi of Saugus. Emma was the loving grandmother of Marisa Anne Tassi of Saugus, and sister of the late Saverio "Sam" Rico, his wife Catherine of Malden, the late Rocco Rico, his wife Anna of Medford, the late Concetta Rico, the late Rose Venturo, her husband Gabriele of Melrose. She was the sister-in-law of Angelo Colasante and his wife Dina of Medford, Giuseppina Bassi of Medford and her late husband Vincenzo, Antoniette Filioso of Canada and her late husband Carlo, Assunta LaPenna and her husband Sorrentino of Italy, Concetta Durbano and her husband Nicolo of Switzerland, the late Giovanna Colasante. Emma was the loving aunt of Nick, Christina, Vincenzo, Robert, Anna Rita, Luciano, Gina, Peter, Nadia, Anita, Angelo Jr., Joseph, John, Alfredo, Maria, Silvana, Juliano, Romero, Concettina, Lilliana, Christina, John and Marcelo.


Funeral from the Dello Russo Funeral Home, 306 Main St., Medford on Saturday, March 28 at 9AM followed by a funeral mass celebrated in Immaculate Conception Church, 600 Pleasant Street, Malden, at 10AM. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend and may visit with the family on Friday from 4 through 8PM. Services will conclude with entombment at Woodlawn Mausoleum in Everett. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent in Emma's Name to the Alzheimer's Association, 480 Pleasant St., Watertown, MA 02472