Lillian Carpi

SWAMPSCOTT - Lillian Carpi, 89, of Swampscott and Boca Raton, Fla., died peacefully on Wednesday, July 31, at her home in Florida with her devoted son, Kenneth, by her side.She spent her childhood in Connecticut with her loving parents, but returned to Massachusetts as a young adult, where she opened a beauty salon. A lover of convertibles, she was known to cruise around with the top down regardless of temperature, as long as the sun was shining! It was during one such leisurely drive that she met the love of her life. One fateful day while driving her convertible along Revere Beach, a suitor spotted her and purposely got into a fender bender with Lillian in an effort to meet her. This man, Kenneth Carpi, would soon become her husband and partner for more than 60 years until his death three years ago.Ken and Lillian encouraged one another's entrepreneurial spirit, she with her own beauty salon and he as the owner and operator of Sea Crest Cadillac, Pontiac, Mazda in Lynn. Together they enjoyed success and life's pleasures. They traveled the world, reaching such destinations as Europe, the Middle East and the Orient. No matter where she was in the world, she always felt at home by the ocean. She was also intrigued by fashion and enjoyed shopping.Most important though, Lillian treasured time with her adoring family. Her son Kenneth meant the world to her. In an effort to devote as much time as possible to her son, Lillian sold her beauty salon shortly after he was born. Lillian's life from then on revolved around her husband and son, and eventually her son's growing family.She is survived and will be greatly missed by her son and daughter-in-law, Kenneth and Mary Jane Carpi of Swampscott and Boca Raton, Fla.; her two granddaughters and their husbands, Kristine and Jeffrey Kuntz (and great-grandsons Jackson and Miles) of Boca Raton, Fla., and Karen and Peter Bohlin (and, Lillian's namesake, great-granddaughter Lily) of Marblehead; her brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Thomas and Rita Carpi of Lynnfield and Boca Raton, Fla.; and her sister-in-law, Rita Petralia of Melrose.Service information: Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend a graveside service at Oak Grove Cemetery in Medford at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 6. A reception to celebrate Lillian's life will follow at the home of Kenneth and Mary Jane Carpi. In lieu of flowers, donations in Lillian's memory can be made to Massachusetts General Hospital N.I.C.U.; MA General Hospital N.I.C.U., Attention Peggy Settle, Blake Building, 55 Fruit St. - 10th Floor, Boston, MA 02114. Arrangements by DELLO-RUSSO Funeral Home, 781-396-9200.