Emma Grace (Baccari) D’Asti Lee, 96, passed away in the Charlwell Nursing Home in Norwood, MA on April 29, 2017. Emma was born on April 19, 1921 in Salem, MA. Emma was the daughter of Loreto Baccari and Carmela (Nigro) Baccari both originally from Italy. She is survived by 4 children, Anita, Stephen, Susanne, and Roberta, 8 grandchildren, 10 great grandchildren, and 3 sisters, Queena, Nancy, and Anna.
Emma was a hair stylist for many years, first in her own salon and then in several nursing homes where she made many residents happy with her hair styles.
Emma’s joys in life were dancing, performing, oil painting, spending time with her family, baking, and traveling.
Emma was an accomplished oil painter and has painted many beautiful works of art including such scenes as Motif No. 1 in Rockport, MA. In her youth Emma loved to roller skate with her brother, Victor, performing many tricks including tricks on his shoulders. She was in her own words “a dare devil”. They considered turning professional but did not.
Emma loved to perform and found many venues for performing. Emma modelled antique clothes for fun. As a young woman Emma was a member of the West Lynn General Electric Girls’ Glee Club and Dramatic Club performing in their productions as an actress and singer. In one of her performances she played the part of a pretty hotel guest in “The Sweetest Girl in Town”. She was also elected as Secretary of the Club.
Emma competed in many dance competitions and won many medals with her International Latin coach, Mark Nocera, and her International Standard coach, Dan Radler. She competed in La Classique in Montreal , the Ohio Star Ball, and Cherry Hill, NJ among many others. There will be a DVD of one of her 1983 competitions shown at the funeral home.
Emma gave much of her time to the Massachusetts Amateur Ballroom Dancers Association (MASSABDA) as a founding, charter member and in her capacity as the Outreach to Seniors volunteer for 40 years. In this capacity she organized ballroom dance shows at nursing homes, assisted living facilities, senior centers, dances, hotels, benefits, and for National Ballroom Dance Week. She found the venues, scheduled the shows, found dancers, created the programs, danced in the shows and also was the Master of Ceremonies. She ran the Self Esteem program once a year. In 1999 the show was a Tribute to Frank Sinatra at the Tremont Hotel in Boston. The show was a great success. The senior audiences always enjoyed the shows immensely and made comments such as “This is the best show we have had here. You have made my day. Please come again.” These shows will live on as her daughter, Anita, is continuing as the Outreach to Seniors volunteer.
Emma loved to bake cookies. She gave so generously of her time that she baked 800 cookies for the Massachusetts Amateur Ballroom Dancers Association (MASSABDA) dances. Everyone looked forward to her delicious cookies at these dances. Emma was called the “Cookie Angel” in an article written about her many contributions to the world of dance in the Amateur Dancer (now American Dancer) magazine. Her family looked forward to and enjoyed all the cookies that she would bake for their enjoyment at Christmas celebrations.
Emma was a kind person who loved to help new dancers. She would go to the back of the room at many dances and help the new dancers with their steps.
Emma participated in a study by Harvard Medical School investigating the physical and emotional benefits of ballroom dancing and appeared on television where she was interviewed about these benefits and danced with her friend, Fred Contrada, doing a Cha Cha.
When she had time in her busy life, Emma enjoyed traveling to places such as Florida, Georgia, England, Scotland, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy. She especially enjoyed the art, architecture, and food in Italy which she visited with her daughter.
Visiting hours will be on Sunday, May 7, 2017 from 4:00 – 8:00 pm at the Ginley Funeral Home, 892 Main Street, Walpole, MA. A funeral service will be held in the funeral home on Monday, May 8, 2017 at 11:30 a.m.
Burial will follow in St. Joseph Cemetery, West Roxbury
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Emma’s memory to:
USA Dance
c/o Ms. Beverly Sinkiewicz
36 Partridge Lane
Lynnfield, MA 01940-2560