Gioconda "Jackie" (D'Errico) Cataldo 93 died June 23 at Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis following a brief illness. She was the beloved wife of the late Edmund F. Cataldo.
Born in Franklin July 1, 1915, she was the daughter of the late Rocco and Alessandrina (DeBaggis) D'Errico and was a lifelong Franklin resident until moving to Cape Cod in 2006. She was a 1933 graduate of Franklin High School. In addition to working in the family business, the DeBaggis and D'Errico Baking Company in Franklin, Mrs. Cataldo was a secretary/receptionist in the main office at Franklin High School for fifteen years. Even after her retirement, she continued to work as a substitute secretary for Franklin High School for several years and also worked as a secretary/receptionist at Ben Franklin Savings Bank.
Mrs. Cataldo was a lifelong communicant at Saint Mary's Church in Franklin and was an active member of the Catholic Women's Club, and the Ladies' Sodality. She also volunteered with many parish activities such as mailing the parish newsletter, "The Weave." Mrs. Cataldo was a member of the committee which founded St. Mary's School as well as the committee which originated the parish's St. Rocco's Festival.
She was well known among family and friends for her strong work ethic and her love of arts and crafts such as crocheting, rug braiding, rug hooking, furniture refinishing and stenciling. Jackie was also notorious for her impeccably clean home, for her wonderful Italian cooking and her scrumptious baked goods!
First and foremost, Mrs. Cataldo will be remembered for her love and devotion to her husband of over 50 years, her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, family members, relatives and friends. She was extremely proud of her Italian heritage, loved St. Mary's Parish and felt there was no finer community in which to live than the Town of Franklin.
She was the beloved mother of her five surviving children and their spouses: Dr. Edmund F. Cataldo Jr. and his wife Anne of Boothbay Maine; Peter F. Cataldo and his wife Marilyn of Wrentham; Paula Vendetti and her husband Donald of Dennis; Thomas Cataldo and his wife Holly of Wrentham; and Sally Winslow and her husband Dean of Plainville. She is also survived by her fifteen grandchildren and eighteen great grandchildren. In addition, she is survived by her sisters, Rose DiBlasio of Somerville and Sister Paula (Aurora) D'Errico of Philadelphia PA. She was the sister of the late Franciso, Ferdinand, Joseph, Orlando "Luns," Donato and Dante D'Errico; Laura Taddeo and Antoinette Ciarlone.
Calling hours will be from 4:00-8:00 PM on Friday June 26th at the Ginley Funeral Home of Franklin, 131 Main St. Franklin. Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, June 27th at 10:00 AM at St. Mary's Church in Franklin. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Jackie's memory be made to St. Mary's Church, Church Square, Franklin, MA 02038.