Northborough Remembers Gerry DeMaria

Gerry was born in Portland, Maine to the late Antoinette (Troiano) and Natale "Chris" DiCarlo, and moved to Worcester at the age of five. She graduated from the former Commerce High School in Worcester in 1952 and married the late Michael J. DeMaria on Oct. 3, 1953. The newlyweds spent the next two years living on Air Force bases in Moses Lake, WA and Greenville, SC before returning to the Worcester area. Upon her return, she was employed in various positions at the Worcester Telegram and Gazette, Reed-Prentice and Harrington & Richardson. She lived most of her adult life in Shrewsbury, where she and her husband raised their three sons. She moved to Northborough in 2013.

Gerry enjoyed cooking, reading, music, decorating her home, going to the theater, and her dog Mia. She had a lifelong love of animals and always spoiled her dogs with food, love and attention. One of Gerry's most cherished hobbies was landscaping and gardening. She loved spending time in her yard working on her beautiful creations and found it to be a relaxing and enjoyable labor of love. Most of all, Gerry loved spending time with her family. Together, they traveled extensively and enjoyed many summer vacations on Martha's Vineyard and Cape Cod.

Her warm personality, humor, gratitude, sense of adventure, and love of life were evident to all who knew her, and she took great joy in her friendships, many of which were lifelong. She never stopped learning and always maintained a sense of curiosity and wonder, which she was proud to have passed on to her beloved children and grandchildren.

Gerry leaves behind her sons, Michael J. DeMaria III, and his wife Kelly of Simsbury, Conn., James P. DeMaria and his wife Colleen of Boston, and Christopher J. DeMaria, with whom she lived in Northborough. She also leaves three grandchildren, Michael, Matthew and Megan DeMaria of Simsbury, whom she adored. Her beloved husband of 40 years, Michael J. DeMaria, passed away on January 26, 1994.

She will be deeply missed by her niece, Antoinette "Toni" Wiggins and her husband David of West Boylston. Toni was more like a sister to Gerry throughout their lives. In addition, she also leaves behind many other nieces, nephews, in-laws, cousins, and friends. Her two brothers, Peter DiCarlo and Paul Mundo, predeceased her in 1968 and 1990, respectively.

Family and friends will honor and remember Gerry's life by gathering for calling hours and a Celebration of Her Life at Heald & Chiampa Funeral Directors ~ The Sumner House, 5 Church Road, On the Common, Shrewsbury Center on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2014 from 4 to 8 p.m. Burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Gerry's memory may be made to The Worcester Animal Rescue League, 139 Holden St., Worcester, MA 01606 or The American Cancer Society, 44 Bearfoot Road, Suite 1C, Northborough, MA 01532.