Antonella Pettoruto Cristofaro, of Norwood, passed away at her home on Sunday morning, June 30, 2024 following a long and courageous battle against illness. She was 45.
Born in Taranto, Italy, she was the daughter of the late Federico Pettoruto and Filomena D’Onghia, the sister of Maria Rosaria Pettoruto and the late Domenico Pettoruto. Antonella attended school in Italy, and ultimately earned her Ph.D. in Pharmacology. Antonella moved to the United States seventeen years ago, and worked first as a research scientist and then later as an educator. Antonella often expressed appreciation and gratefulness for the life that she found here, and she embraced the U.S. as her second home-country.
While Antonella was an outstanding research scientist and loved to teach at the Scuola Piccoli Italiani di Boston, her real passion was taking care of her family. She ensured that their home is a place filled with love, that her children can explore and learn new things, and that they would always experience new adventures. She was well-known for applying her amazing creative talents to various art projects, interior design, culinary creations and costumes. She had an energy and joy for life that spread to all who knew her.
Antonella was the beloved wife of Vivian Cristofaro of Norwood, and the devoted mother of Dominic, Giulia, and Vincent Cristofaro. In addition to her immediate family, she is survived by her sister Maria Rosaria and her brother-in-law Orazio Catucci, and their daughters Federica and Fiorella Catucci, all of Italy; Vivian's parents Giovanni Cristofaro and Franca DeFelice of Italy; her brother in-law Cristian Cristofaro, his wife Fabiola Angarano, and their daughter Mariasole Cristofaro, all of Italy. She is also survived by a large group of friends and colleagues who loved and supported her as an extended family.
Services from the Gillooly Funeral Home, 126 Walpole Street (Rt. 1A), NORWOOD on Tuesday July 9, 2024 at 9:30 AM. Funeral Mass in St. Timothy Church, 650 Nichols Street, Norwood at 10:30 AM. Visiting Hours in the Funeral Home on Monday July 8, from 4-8 PM. Interment Highland Cemetery, Norwood.
Expressions of sympathy may be made in Antonella's memory to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or see www.stjude.org.
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