Theresa Donna Pizzo

Our beloved Theresa Donna Pizzo passed away on Feb. 18th at the Mercy hospital, 6 months after being diagnosed with terminal multiple myeloma. Her disease progressively brought limits to what her body could do. Yet, through the 6 remaining months of her life, her spirit remained resilient and positive, along with her will and independence in charting her own journey with her illness. With the daily and weekly support of her siblings, hospice, personal-care assistants, Cherie Cayer, Dr. Medd, and her neighbors, she was able to remain in her home alone until the last 2 days of her life. On her second day in the hospital, she said clearly to her sisters who were there that she was ready to go. She passed away early the next evening. Theresa, the 5th child of Annie Addario Pizzo and Joseph Chester Pizzo, was born in Portland, Maine in 1942 into a first-generation Italian-American family. Her life was lived and ended with family as its center. After graduating from Deering High School, she worked for a brief time before beginning her life’s vocation as a caregiver. At age 22, when her grandmother Nonna Maria’s health began failing, she moved into Nonna’s house just a footpath away from her home and devoted herself to caring for Nonna until her death. Over the years after Nonna passed, Theresa began extending her caretaking to all of her gigantic family, which included 12 siblings, 2 aunts, 32 nieces and nephews, 52 great-nieces and nephews, and many cousins. She was the family memory keeper. She remembered and bought cards for birthdays and anniversaries for everyone—no computer database needed when you are blessed to have a Theresa in your family! Just call her on the phone and ask her about a special date for anyone, and she could deliver. Her every morning began with phone calls to family—sometimes a little on the early side! Theresa loved her “bling” and often wore two or more necklaces, along with spiffy barrettes and cute hats. Anyone who met her found her memorable. Anyone who Theresa met became family to her. All of the local stores and the bank that she frequented loved her. In true Italian fashion, she brought treats to everyone all the time. She noticed right away what you liked, and from then on, she bought that item just for you. Theresa was a devout Catholic and loved going to church. She was a rarity who truly exemplified the teachings as expressed by Pope Francis today. She cast no judgment on anyone. Her heart and her deeds were open and generous to all, regardless if they had troubles or not. The quality that shined and grew in her through her journey with her disease was gratitude. Any time that any one of us came to support her, she said thank you. Every time, she said thank you. Even as her body faded, her spirit stayed positive. She looked forward to our extended family Christmas party that we have held annually since 1973, and she loved to help out with it in any way that she could. Theresa’s own words of her wishes to her family once she passed most clearly describe her core: “Stay close, be kind to each other, and help each other out.” Theresa was predeceased by her maternal grandparents Maria Mancini Addario and Antonio Addario; her paternal grandparents Gelsomina Valerio Pizzo and Martino Pizzo; her brothers Edward, John, and Martin; her sister Josephine, her great niece Ashley Connolly and other dearly loved family. She is survived by six sisters and two brothers: Rose Favreau and her husband Paul of Brunswick; Francesca Darling of Portland and her husband Danny; Diane Harriman and her husband Larry of Gorham; Nancy Boucher and her husband Richard of Westbrook; Ann Maynard and her husband Steve of Westbrook; Patty Everett and her husband Gary of South Portland; Joseph Pizzo, Jr. and his wife Sharon of Falmouth; and Anthony Pizzo of Portland; and also by her sister-in-law Shirley Pizzo of Westbrook; two aunts Millie Lane and Mary McCarthy; thirty-two nieces and nephews; fifty-one great-nieces and nephews; great-grandnieces and nephews; and many, many beloved cousins. A funeral mass will be held on February 23rd at 11:00 a.m. at St. Joseph’s Church in Portland. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery. Online condolences can be expressed at blaisandhayfuneralhome.com. In honor of Theresa, please do an act of kindness for someone in need. Thank you.

Theresa Donna Pizzo

February 18, 2016

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