Marie Jane Antobenedetto, age 59 of Natick passed away on Wednesday, September 6, 2017 at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center after a courageous battle against cancer.
Born in Framingham, the daughter of the late Aldo and Barbara (Klein) Antobenedetto, she was raised and educated in Framingham and was a Framingham South High graduate, class of 1976.
Loving daughter, sister, aunt and friend affectionately called Rere by her nieces and nephews, Marie tirelessly cared for her parents her entire life. She had a strong sense of family and community.
Marie was a longtime employee of Pet World in Natick and was the heart and soul of the store. There, her greatest passion was finding loving homes for lost and unwanted cats in Stray Pets in Need (S.P.I.N.). She was dedicated to the care and placement of these animals even fostering many throughout the years. Her passion for animals followed her all of those years. She always had a home full of dogs and cats. She even saved an injured pigeon "Walter" and took him home.
Marie found her spirituality in nature and was passionate about protecting the environment. Her many travels around the United States showcased the natural beauty of the land. Her favorite places being her beloved Colorado due to her love of John Denver and the vast wilderness of Alaska which she visited numerous times.
She took care of her parents and enjoyed a full life with them, attending countless plays and concerts with her mother and the yearly trek to see the fall foliage.
She is survived by her siblings John Antobenedetto and his wife Lynn Peters of Surprise, AZ, and Karen Hall and her husband Calvin of Plainville, five nieces and nephews and 8 great nieces and great nephews, and longtime friend Pamela Willen of Framingham and her beloved pets Annie, Denver and Christopher.
Relatives and friends are invited to gather for a time of visitation on Thursday, September 14 from 3:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. in the chapel of the John Everett and Sons Funeral Home 4 Park Street, at Natick Common.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Stray Pets in Need of MA PO Box 812143, Wellesley, MA 02482-0014.
For direction or to leave a message of condolence to the family visit www.everettfuneral.com.