Lawrence Philip Alibrandi, 82, passed away peacefully on July 15, 2019 with his children by his side. Born in Roxbury, Massachusetts, Larry then lived with his family in Dorchester, later married and raised his three children in San Jose, Costa Rica and Foxborough, Massachusetts, moved to Cumberland, Rhode Island, and ultimately retired to Arizona.
He lived life on his terms; he left crumbs all over the kitchen counter because, well, he just did. Until his final days, he competed in bowling tournaments, played bocce, and played backgammon and cards weekly, and organized fundraising dinners, all with a large circle of friends in Gilbert, Arizona. His family looked forward to eating his braciola and the other Sicilian dishes he learned from his mother, and he was known by his family and Rhode Island friends as the Cannoli Santa. Larry had a wicked sense of humor and always had a joke or two lying in wait, making his sisters laugh until they cried. School vacations visiting Grandpa gave his grandchildren fond memories of time with him and family. His love for his family was demonstrated more than spoken, but all knew it. He was the son of immigrants and learned his work ethic from them, providing for his family and supporting them in times of need.
Larry graduated from Boston Latin School in 1954 and Boston College in 1958 and commissioned as an officer in the Navy after graduation. He was honorably discharged in 1962, joined the accounting firm of Price Waterhouse, and soon became a Certified Public Accountant. In time, he joined the United Brands Company, which offered him the opportunity in 1973 to move with his family to Costa Rica, an announcement he made to his then wife Geraldine O’Connor by singing, “Do you know the way to San Jose?” He thoroughly enjoyed his two years living there and expanded the lives of his children by giving them that experience. After returning, Larry held several Chief Financial Officer and Controller positions before retiring to Arizona in 2004, where he kept his skills sharp by maintaining a few corporate tax clients and preparing tax returns for friends and neighbors. Only he could say whether he was more fulfilled by his career or by once bowling a perfect 300 score.
Larry survived his parents, Philip and Grace (DiPietro) Alibrandi and his wife Helen (Willis). He will be remembered with love by his children and daughters-in law, Philip and Melody, Christine, William and Laura, and his grandchildren Amanda, Erin, Shyanne, Connor and Drew Alibrandi. His sisters Concetta Aliberte and Mary T. Alibrandi (Jack Miller) join his sister-in-in law Ann (Sullivan) Alibrandi in mourning his passing, as the entire family mourned the loss of his brother Joseph in 2017 and brother-in-law Rick in June. Along with Ann, his nieces Paula (Alibrandi) Feeney and Annmarie (Alibrandi) Ryan and their families will have memories of their time with him at the Irish Village to enjoy in the years to come. He is also survived by Helen’s children Joanne, George, Susan, and John and their children who Larry enjoyed watching grow up. His family is thankful for his many friends, among them his life-long friend Salvatore Carvelli, and his Arizona friends Barbara Moats, Clint Shaap, Bob Reeves, Jan Grierson, Jim Gregg, Maria Prunty, and Pam and Herm Vander Heyden, all good friends to the end.
Friends and family are invited to a wake for Larry on Thursday, August 1, 2019, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Spadafora Funeral Home, 865 Main Street, Malden, Massachusetts. His funeral service will be held on Friday, August 2, at 10:00 a.m. at Sacred Hearts Parish, 315 Main Street, Malden, Massachusetts. In lieu of flowers, Larry’s family asks that a donation be considered to America’s VetDogs, a non-profit that trains service dogs for veterans and first-responders living with PTSD and other disabilities. More can be learned about the organization and a donation made at www.vetdogs.org.