Reinette Ellen (McDonough) Staaf, of Gloucester, formerly of Woburn, beloved Wife of Lee D. Staaf, passed away peacefully on March 23rd, 2018 surrounded by family after a courageous battle with Alzheimer’s at the Seacoast Nursing Home. She was 80.
Reinette was the most loving, dedicated mother and “Nana” to her entire family. Born to Margaret & Joseph McDonough, Sr. of Woburn, she was the middle child of five children, and grew-up at their home on Montvale Ave. in Woburn.
She graduated Woburn High School, Class of 1954. A stay-at-home mom until her children reached school age, she then started working at Woodcraft Supply & Houghton Mifflin, making several life-long friends along the way.
Reinette was a strong woman with a desire to please and raise her family. She was a proud, private woman, and deeply believed that family was everything. She took immense pride in keeping the house clean and having a hot meal on the table. Although diminutive in physical size, she was a force to be reckoned with.
She and her husband, Lee, were blessed to spend their 59 years of marriage together raising their family in Woburn before retiring to their beach home on Long Beach in Gloucester, MA, where they enjoyed their children, grandchildren and friends. Summer vacations were spent with cousins, aunts, and uncles up at Lake Winnipesaukee and down on Cape Cod.
She was the devoted Mother to Susan (Staaf) Lewandoski and husband David of Hollis, NH, Marcia (Staaf) Corsino and husband Michael of Burlington, and Tim Staaf, fiancé Kimberly Donahue of Danvers. She was the cherished Grandmother to Rachel, Matthew, Katrina, Jillian, Patrick, Brendan, and Carolyn, and sister to the late Marjorie (McDonough) Doherty, husband Edward Doherty, the late William McDonough and his late wife Louise (Mawn), Mary Terese Carey (McDonough) and husband Robert, and Joseph McDonough, Jr., and his wife Margaret “Peggy” (Maher).
Family was Reinette’s legacy, and she will be missed dearly by those of us who knew her best and were blessed by having her ever present in our lives.
Family and friends may call on Tues March 27, 2018 from 4:00 to 8:00 PM at the Costello Funeral Home 177 Washington St, Winchester, and again on Wednesday, at 9:00 AM followed by a Funeral Mass at St. Barbara’s Church, 138 Cambridge Rd, Woburn,at 10:00 AM. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery, Woburn. In lieu of flowers donations may be sent to: Friends of the Seacoast Nursing & Rehabilitation Center 292 Washington St. Gloucester, MA 01930 or the Alzheimer’s Association 309 Waverly Oaks Rd., Waltham, MA 02452. www.alz.org/manh.