Gianfranco Grassi, age 80, of Stoneham, passed away peacefully, January 28, 2021. Born in Umago, Italy and raised in Trieste, Italy before immigrating to the United States of America in 1962. Married to his wife Aida in 1970, together they raised two daughters, Marisa and Adriana. The family lived in Everett, before moving to Winchester in 1986. At retirement, he and his wife moved to Venice, FL (2002) before eventually returning to Stoneham, MA (2018). In 2020 Gianfranco achieved two major milestones in life. He celebrated 50 Years marriage with the love of his life, Aida and then went on to turn 80 years old on November 16th. Gianfranco had a large extended family that included his brother and sister-in laws, lots of nieces and nephews and two God sons.
Throughout his life, he worked hard to provide for his family. He was a true fighter in spirit and never gave up on anything. In his spare time, he was an avid soccer fan and would cheer on his team – AC Milan each week. He truly loved the sport and enjoyed talking to family and friends about it. His favorite TV shows were The Woody Woodpecker show (1980) which he would watch with his youngest daughter Adriana. Later in life, he enjoyed shows pertaining to geography, history, animals and anything related to food. He would share new recipes with his wife Aida, who he would say is the best cook in life. Ultimately his favorite show was America’s Funniest Videos. He could be heard laughing in the next room.
Known for always having a great time, Gianfranco loved to tell jokes, had a unique dance move, and always listened to Italian music. He was the family’s resident “DJ”. His favorite drink was a mai tai but he never said no to the 2nd or 3rd glass of wine. When the doctor would tell him only one glass, he would remark “he drank wine because water rusts the pipes”. He also enjoyed spending time with his late brother Giacomo and friends drinking grappa while reminiscing about life.
One of his other passions was exploring travel destinations. He would seek out maps, plot out directions, find interesting facts and then share his research with his oldest daughter, Marisa who travels extensively. He also loved to travel. His favorite traveled destinations include Buenos Aires, ARG, Honolulu, HI, Napa, CA and many cities in Florida. As a way to celebrate his beautiful life, his wife and daughters will travel to his favorite places and spread his ashes. Eventually bringing him back home to Trieste, Italy.
Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend a funeral Mass that will be celebrated in St. Patrick Church, 71 Central St., Stoneham, Friday, February 5th, at 10 a.m. All attending must wear a face mask and adhere to strict social distancing protocols. It has been requested that in lieu of flowers contributions may be made in Gianfranco’s memory to the American Lung Assoc., 1661 Worcester Rd., Suite 301, Framingham, MA 01701or to the American Heart Assoc., PO BOX 417005, Boston, MA 02241. Arrangements by the Dello Russo Family Funeral Service of Medford.