Carmela Catherine Varraso

Carmela Catherine (Campo) Varraso, a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, whose life was a brilliant testament to the power of selfless giving, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her devoted family, on December 5, 2025, at the age of 92. For 68 years, she was the deeply cherished wife of Alfred William Varraso of Braintree.
To know Carmela was to be touched by her endless giving spirit. Her compassion was boundless, and her mission was to care for everyone in her path, without hesitation. Whether it was delivering a comforting tray of her famous cookies, a warm pan of lasagna, or a thoughtfully written card, she always found time to meet a need, big or small. Carmela was an exceptional community volunteer, earning recognition as an inspiration to many. Her most satisfying contribution was her 16-year commitment as a SHINE representative for South Shore Elder Services, and regularly visited elderly clients to assist them with everyday financial matters. Her countless hours of charitable work were recognized with numerous prestigious honors, including; Braintree Rotary Community Volunteer of the Year, Martin Luther King, Jr. Peacemaker Award, Elks Distinguished Citizenship Award, Edythe B. Donkin Memorial Award for contributions to South Shore Elders, and the MA House of Representatives and State Senate Citations for Outstanding Commitment to Service.
She also found great joy in civic engagement, volunteering for ten years as a judge for the JFK Library Profiles in Courage Essay contest.
Carmela's greatest passion and source of pride was her family. She and Al built a life together starting on July 7th, 1956, after meeting at a night of dancing at Moseley's on the Charles. They married a year later and began the first years of their marriage in a small apartment in Quincy, ultimately settling in Braintree, where they created a loving home for over 61 years.
She was the devoted matriarch of an expansive family that brought her immense joy. She and Al were born into large families of 9 and 5 and were truly blessed to watch the combined families grow to over 125 and 105 across five generations.
She and Al were avid travelers, exploring six of the seven continents. Their favorite adventures, however, were the truly special one-on-one trips they gifted to each of their grandchildren for high school graduation, creating indelible memories in places like Egypt, Spain, China, South Africa, Australia, and Italy.
Born in Somerville, MA on May 9, 1933, Carmela was the 6th of seven children born to the late Antonio and Lucia (Civiello) Campo. She was raised and educated in West Medford, graduating from Medford High School in 1951. In addition to raising six children and her intensive volunteer work, for over 30 years, she supported her family's company, Pilgrim Furniture in Nashua, NH that was started by her master cabinet maker father in Back Bay in the 1930s. After the sale of the company, she began a career as a Benefits Specialist and later Mailroom Manager at KPMG in Boston, MA for 16 years until her retirement in 1996.
She channeled her energy into various organizations, including the South Shore Mothers of Twins, Granite City Stamp Club (fueling her passion for stamp collecting), Braintree Gardener's Guild (nurturing her love of gardening), and the Braintree Historical Society.
Carmela is survived by her devoted husband, Alfred. She was the loving mother of Rosemarie Berardi of Marshfield, Dolores Bogosian and her husband David of Canton, Elaine Arata and her husband Michael of Milford, CT, Lorraine Connolly and her husband James of Plymouth, MA, Linda Varraso and her wife Michelle of Weymouth, and her late son Michael Varraso of Braintree. She is also survived by 15 cherished grandchildren and 4 treasured great-grandchildren, along with over 60 nieces and nephews. She leaves behind her brother Joseph Campo of Winchester, MA, and her sister Anna Petrivelli of Largo, FL.
Carmela's family offers profound gratitude to her dedicated and loving caretakers of the last five years: Roxane Knights, Teresa Hubbard, Nexcy Matos, Kim Kirkwood, and Toni Amilcar. These amazing women cared for her with as much love and compassion as if she was their own mother. Sincere thanks are also sent to the VNA Hospice Nurses of Norwell, MA, who ensured her final days were entirely comfortable and peaceful.
Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend visiting hours on Friday, December 12th, from 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM, in the Cartwright-Venuti Funeral Home, 845 Washington St., Braintree (with Additional Parking across the street at St. Francis of Assisi Church). A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, December 13th, at 11:00 AM in Saint Francis of Assisi Church, 856 Washington Street, Braintree. Interment will follow in the Blue Hill Cemetery, Braintree.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to South Shore Elder Services, 350 Granite Street, Suite 2303, Braintree, MA or Croi Health (NVNA and Hospice), croihealth.org.
For directions or to leave a sympathy message for the family, visit www.cartwrightfuneral.com.