Lucy L. Perella

Lucy L. Perella, 95, of Framingham, MA passed away October 19, 2020, after a period of declining health. She was an adored & incomparable wife, mother, and grandmother, a true, caring friend to so many, and her perpetually joyful personality was one of a kind.

Lucy was born on June 5th, 1925 in Boston, MA, the fifth of seven children, and loved spending summers on Revere Beach as a young girl. She remained in the city for over 30 years and later worked in the garment industry as an excellent stitcher and active member of the garment workers union. She was the beloved wife of Michael Perella, to whom she was married for 61 years and shared two cherished children, Victor and Deborah.

Lucy and her family moved to Framingham in the late 50’s where she continued her work at home as a dressmaker. She met her dear friend and next-door neighbor, Anne Hopkins, and they began the tradition of afternoon tea together which continued for over 60 years. She spent many memorable years working as a hostess at Kens Steak House during the heyday of nightlife on Route 9 and formed life-long friends whom she loved dearly.

She was an active and well-respected member of the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, where she met many important people in her life, including her dear friend Yolanda Landry. Lucy’s faith was deeply important to her, and her community at the Kingdom Hall was central to her life.

Lucy and Mike loved taking cross-country road trips with Victor & Debbie as children to visit their life-long friends Sally & Victor Zaccardi in Los Angeles. They spent many winters in Florida with close family & friends, including family trips to Disneyworld, which she adored. After the passing of their husbands, she and her sister-in-law and dear friend, June Gold, continued to go to Florida together.

Lucy loved spending time on Martha’s Vineyard, where her son Victor frequently hosted his family and friends. Together, they created several decades and multiple generations worth of precious memories. Lucy was always the queen of the beach, (particularly her favorite beach, Menemsha). She loved the ocean and was always the director, keeping everyone, especially Victor, on their toes.

Lucy was an incredible Yaya (grandmother) to Jennifer & Jessica, who spent countless hours of their lives in the comfort and love of their grandparents. Her beautiful happy spirit and smile quickly made her an adopted Yaya to anyone who met her, and she was always ready to help anyone she could.

Lucy was a top-notch cook known for more than a few signature meals, who always made sure her loved ones were well-fed. She was also an absolute authority on where to get the best breakfast and loved going out to eat, especially before or after a good shopping trip with Debbie, Jennifer & Jessica. Both of her granddaughters can attribute many years of on-trend school clothes as well as hand-sewn matching outfits to those lazy weekend shopping days and her sewing prowess.

Much of the last decade of her life was spent in the constant company and loving care of her daughter Debbie, who felt enormously fortunate to be able to care for and spend so many years with her mother.

While the richness and fullness of her long life can never be sufficiently summed up in words, it is without question that Lucy made an indelible impact on everyone who knew her. She was a warm, confident and powerful presence -- her legacy is evident in all the large and small traces of herself that she leaves behind, and the memories we share of those she loved who left us before her, including her husband and son.

Lucy is survived by her daughter, Deborah Perella, granddaughters Jennifer Hamel (Steve) and Jessica Teller (Will Weldon), step-granddaughter Crystal Davis and her Florida family, and was the beloved great-grandmother to Dylan Victor Hamel. She also leaves behind her sister-in-law June Gold and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and adopted family who will miss her dearly in their lives.