Anthony ("Cal") Francis Colarusso

The Obituary of ANTHONY ("CAL") FRANCIS COLARUSSO

COLARUSSO - Anthony ("Cal") Francis, 90, passed away peacefully on January 24, 2023, at the Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis, Massachusetts. He was born on February 4, 1932 and lived in the North End of Boston with his father, Francis Anthony Colarusso, and mother, Eleanora (nee Imbriano) and his two sisters, the late Phyllis (Colarusso) Giove and Mimi (Colarusso) Chiesa. He attended Boston Trade High School where he took the Electronic & Radio course and was captain of both the basketball and golf teams. After High School, he joined the US Airforce May 5, 1950, just before the start of the Korean War, and served four years earning a Good Conduct Medal and National Defense Service Medal. While in the service, he studied and mastered ground-based radar systems, earning a 3.95 GPA, and rising to the rank of Sergeant. On February 2, 1952, he married his high school sweetheart, the late Marie Angela (nee Martinelli) in Baltimore. They eventually settled down in Medford where they raised their 6 children. He had a very successful career as an Electronics Engineer developing several complex systems including: an anti-fire system which protected military jets from exploding when their gas tanks were hit by incendiary bullets, worked on a team in the 1970's to develop the first CAT Scan machine, worked on a team in the 1980's to build an Ultrasound Machine prototype for GE, and even built analog and digital telemetry units that were installed on NASA's Saturn V Rocket. He retired in the late 1980's at the top of his field to spend more time with his beloved wife. They sold their house in Medford and moved to their property in Lyman, Maine located on Wadleigh Pond. There he told his adoring grandchildren his legendary Doctor Doolittle bedtime stories. These stories are still treasured today. He eventually moved to Naples, Florida with his late wife for the majority of his retirement, where he became an accomplished pool player. In 2019 he sold his Florida home and moved to Cape Cod to live with his oldest son for the remainder of his life.

He leaves behind six (6) children: Alan and his wife Marla Colarusso of Centerville, MA, Lynne and her husband William Winnett of Pepperell, Toni and her husband Frank Dardeno of Winchester, Marie and her husband Nick DeMagistris of Nashua, NH, Ellie Colarusso of Nashua, NH, and Anthony and his wife Nancy Colarusso of Dover, NH. He also leaves behind fifteen (15) grandchildren: Jessica Manger, William Winnett, Jr., Peter Winnett, Alison McDonald, Jillian Chaves, Kara Mathieu, Marie Auger, Tina Dardeno, Nicholas DeMagistris, Robert DeMagistris, Krista Collette, Michael Durkee, Jenna Zaiter, Suzanne Steinger, and Anthony Colarusso. He also leaves behind twenty (20) great grandchildren: Maya Manger, Gabe Manger, Emerson Winnett, Willow Norquist Winnett, Violet Norquist Winnett, Logan McDonald, Ava McDonald, Adi Chaves, Joseph Mathieu, Simone Mathieu, Amelia DeMagistris, Nicholas DeMagistris, Luca DeMagistris, Jameson DeMagistris, Bradley DeMagistris, Nicoletta DeMagistris, Lia Collette, Owen Collette, Mila Zaiter, and Daniel Zaiter. Cal will also be missed by his brother-in-law F. Paul Mamone and many treasured nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Cal was intelligent, humble, loving, and an eternal optimist. He started each day with the mantra, "Another great day!" and no success would have been complete without his signature compliment, "Atta way to go!" He was loved by everyone he met.

Services will be private.

Donations may be made to St. Joseph's Indian School https://www.stjo.org

Or Boston Boys and Girls Clubs of America https://bgca.org