Maria Mercurio

1920 - 2015

Maria (Gulla) Mercurio, of Cohasset died peacefully on July 3, 2015, at the Pat Roche Hospice Home in Hingham, surrounded by her loving family. Maria was a gentle woman of deep and profound faith. It was not unusual for those who visited her to find her praying the Rosary. She had great inner strength and enthusiasm for life, always marching forward. She was a gracious and generous woman who exemplified thoughtfulness, kindness, and genuine caring for all with whom she came in contact with. Her limitless capacity to love others and her joyous presence made her the favorite of all of her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and her many nieces and nephews. She loved nothing more than being with her family, sharing their lives and triumphs, and supporting everyone in their times of need. She provided a true, unconditional love that was quite special. Maria had a special gift of bringing out the very best in others and she treated her family and friends with sensitivity and warm affection. She was born in Parlermiti, Italy, August 4, 1920, and at the age of 94, lived independently up until the day she was recently hospitalized. She was married to Antonio Mercurio at the age of 16 and she maintained the household while he immigrated to the United States in 1937. They remained apart for a period of almost 10 years due to the outbreak of World War II and were reunited in 1947, arriving via ship to Ellis Island. Her husband, Antonio, died in 1952 and over the next 63 years Maria became the matriarch and anchor of the extended family. In 1952, as a recent immigrant to the United States and a single mother raising two children, she exhibited great strength, perseverance and determination while carving her own way into a foreign land and establishing herself independently. She maintained a household in Hull and raised two children, and in later years resided with her son, Antonio, and daughter-in-law, Emma, in Cohasset. Maria worked for many years before her retirement at Pyrotector Corporation in Hingham. She was a parishioner of St. Anthonys Church in Cohasset and was a devoted attendee of Sunday Mass until recent years when she became less mobile. She subsequently became an ardent listener of the Catholic Channel on Cable TV and attended Catholic Mass via her television, always staying devoted to her faith. Her husband, Antonio, her son, Antonio and her daughter-in-law, Rosemarie, predeceased her. She is survived by her son, Joseph Mercurio and his wife Antoinette of Cohasset; and her daughter-in-law, Emma Mercurio of Cohasset; her grandchildren, Lisa Mercurio and her husband Joseph Salmeri of Pembroke, Michael Mercurio of Windham, N.H., Marc Mercurio and his wife Kristen of Scituate, Andrea Mercurio of Brookline, Daniel Mercurio of Brookline, Christopher Mercurio of Boston; her great-grandchildren, Mara and Marco Mercurio of Newton, Joseph Salmeri of Pembroke, Matthew and Abigail Mercurio of Scituate; her niece, Maria Prospero and her husband Pasquale of Thornwood, N.Y.; her niece, Gisella and her husband Domenic of Bethel, Conn.; her nephew, Pasquale Pregoni and his wife Marisa of Scituate; and many great-nieces and nephews. Relatives and friends invited to a funeral Mass to be celebrated Friday, July 10, 2015, in St. Anthony Church, Cohasset, at 10 a.m. A reception will be held immediately following the Mass in the St. Anthony Parish Center across from the church. Visiting hours private. Interment private. In lieu of flowers, donations to honor Mrs. Mercurio may be made to the NVNA Pat Roche Hospice Home, 86 Turkey Hill Lane, Hingham, MA 02043. For an online guest book and more, please visit www.mcnamara-sparrell.com. 781-383-0200