Phyllis Marie (Smith) Tagliaferri, 87, of Bellingham, died Friday, May 27, 2022, at Milford Regional Medical Center. She was the beloved wife of William E. Tagliaferri, who died in 1992.
Born in Somerville on May 24, 1935, she was the daughter of the late William and Margaret (McTiernan) Smith. Her parents were both survivors of the Halifax Explosion of 1917.
Phyllis was a resident of Bellingham for the past 60 years. She grew up in Somerville, moved to Framingham and graduated from Framingham High School in 1953.
Before her retirement, Phyllis worked as a medical secretary at area doctors’ offices for many years. She volunteered for hospice services and was an accomplished artist. She doted on her grandchildren and great-grand children and taught them many life lessons. For more than 30 years she hosted the Thursday night family dinner, a simple pasta meal with lots of laughter and lasting memories.
Phyllis was a longtime parishioner of and served as the CCD Director at St. Brendan’s Parish in Bellingham for several years during the 1980’s.
She is survived by six children, William E. Tagliaferri, Jr. and his wife Sheri of Orleans, Jean Marie Bibbo and her husband Jack of Millville, Kevin J. and Paul F. Tagliaferri and his wife Linda, of Bellingham, Lynda Jean Tagliaferri of North Attleboro and John J. Tagliaferri and his wife Usha of Elgin, South Carolina.
She is also survived by six grandchildren, Maureen Williams and her husband Mikel, Makayla Poissant and her partner Brandon Singleton, Jean Patrick St. George and his fiancée Paige Myette, Breanna Tagliaferri-Creedon and her husband Zach, William J. Tagliaferri, Evan Poissant and four great-grandchildren, Audrey and Johanna Williams and Sophia and Ava Singleton.
Phyllis is also survived by three sisters, Carol Marcet and her husband Al of Bellingham, Beverly Smith of Westboro and Margie Palmer and her husband Charlie of Franklin, and many nieces and nephews.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend her funeral Mass on Friday, June 3 at St. Joseph Church, 151 Village St. in Medway at 11 a.m. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery in Medway.
Calling hours will be held on Thursday from 5 – 8 p.m. in the Ginley Crowley Funeral Home, 3 Barber St. in Medway (www.ginleyfuneralhomes.com).
In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made in Phyllis’ memory to the Jimmy Fund c/o Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, P.O. Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284-9168 or to Baypath Humane Society of Hopkinton, Inc., P.O. Box 23, Hopkinton, MA 01748.