John C. Cucinotta
...formerly of Tewksbury, retired from Hanscom A.F.B.; age 87
Virginia Beach, VA - John C. Cucinotta, age 87, a former resident of Tewksbury, died Monday, December 3, at the home of his daughter in Virginia Beach, after a lengthy battle with heart disease. He was the husband of the late Philomena "Fran" (Mascetta) Cucinotta, who died in November, 1996.
He was born in Messina, Italy, on September 28, 1920, a son of the late Carmelo and Antonina (Trimarchi) Cucinotta. He emigrated to the U.S. in his infancy, and his family settled in Chelsea, where he graduated from Chelsea High School. He also attended classes at Boston University.
During WW2, he served in the U.S. Army, in the European Theater, including the Battle of the Bulge, and was honorably discharged as a Staff Sergeant.
He moved to South Amos Street in Tewksbury in 1956, where he lived until moving to Virginia Beach in 2005.
He retired from Hanscom Air Force Base in 1978, after a distinguished civil service career in the logistics field and was later employed by the Boeing Company of Wichita, KS from 1980 to 1983.
Mr. Cucinotta was a former communicant of St. William's Church in Tewksbury, where he was a member of the St. William's Men’s Club, and a former member of the Wilmington Son’s of Italy.
He is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Ann Marie Shannon and her husband John of Virginia Beach; one son, Carmen Cucinotta of Tewksbury; a sister, Marguerite Frassica of Reading, MA; a sister-in-law, Mary Cucinotta of Lady Lakes, FL; two grandsons, Brian Shannon and his wife Beth of Alexandria, VA, and Christopher Cucinotta of CA; a great granddaughter, Rebecca Ann Shannon of Alexandria, VA; and many nieces and nephews.
He was also the brother of the late Anthony Cucinotta.
The family would like to thank Dr. Barbara Parks for her dedicated and compassionate care of our Dad since the first day we met on our flight from Boston. She has been a vital part of his excellent medical care here in Virginia Beach. Our sincere gratitude to Sentara Hospice and their team of nurses, aides, chaplain and social workers. A special thank you to the health aides from Elder Care who cared for Dad with love and respect and supported us during the most difficult of times.
His Funeral Mass was celebrated, Monday, December 10, in St. William's Church, Tewksbury. Burial with Army honors followed at St. Mary's Cemetery, No. Tewksbury. Memorials to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, P.O. Box 50, Memphis, TN 38101 will be appreciated.