John A. Santolucito, Jr. – of North Reading, died Saturday, June 18, 2022, at Lahey Hospital and Medical Center in Burlington, at age 62.

Born in Everett, MA on May 21, 1960. He was the son of the late John A. and Claire L. (Rivard) Santolucito, formerly of North Reading.

Family members include his loving sisters, Jean Dotolo of North Reading and Nancy Wederski of Belmont, NH. He is also survived by nieces, nephews and great friends.

Shrink Wrap Jack!, You are loved more than words could ever say…. You could hold a great conversation! The impact that you made on the people, family, friends that crossed your path in these past 62 years.  You were a dedicated and very hard-working man. You took pride in what you did, how you treated people, you liked to have a good time and also how to be a great person. You were funny! You would have me laughing 😆 so hard, and you always wanted to do the right thing…….. you were a free and wild spirit!  You could ride fast like the wind 🌬 this man could operate with some skills of epic proportions! You had a love for nature and also had a respect for it.  You would talk to animals and let them know you liked them. You had a great and powerful love of the north country!!! But have also a love of the sea, living on the ocean for years, through winter storms and hot summer days. Exploring and diving to deep depths even through the ice with a safety line in Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire. You really loved riding your motorcycle. Riding from Maine and down to the dragons tail through Tennessee and the Carolina’s. He also enjoyed spending time in his camp in Errol, NH, scuba diving, four wheeling and snowmobiling.

I would say that you had some amazing experiences in those 62 years. You also played many different roles. A son, a best friend uncle, trusted person, father figure, reliable man of his word, a helper, even if someone needed the shirt off his back. That was you.   You were the kind of man who did things that were hard because it was what had to be done. You worked right to end. But you had a love for fun and having good times. I guess the old saying goes “you got to pay to play “ you earned those good times, memories and great stories! Sometimes you “just gotta stop for a minute, and take it all in” everyone should hope to LIVE and experience as much as possible because life is too short.  You will be missed greatly and never forgotten!  You were taken from this world far too soon.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading. www.croswellfuneralhome.com

Eric J. Bennett– June 23,2022

JEAN A (DELOREY) BITTNER, formerly JEAN A LYNCH – 92, of Beverly MA, formerly Winter Haven, FL and North Reading, MA, passed away peacefully on June 25, 2022.

Jean was born on May 8, 1930 to Agnes (Hamilton) and Peter Delorey and was raised in Medford, MA.  Jean was a loving and devoted wife, proud and loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, and a friend to many throughout her life.

Jeans working career started as a teenager at Filene’s Department Store in Boston. She later became a secretary at both Goldthwaite Medical Supplies and then John Hancock.  Once her children were in school, Jean began volunteering in the library at Maria J. Murphy Elementary School in North Reading, MA until she was hired by the North Reading School Department of Pupil Personnel Services, from which she retired from in 1988.

Jean embraced the roles of statistician for the little league, brownie troupe leader, family camping coordinator and later as a volunteer In a Bereavement Ministry.  She shared her time with close neighborhood friends playing cards when the children were younger which continued on for years later as they retired together in Florida.

Jean enjoyed travel and visited many US National Parks and attractions and cruised to Alaska and Greece.

Jean would often be found with her head buried in a crossword puzzle book or cross sums book (which were always done in pen!) and it was a running joke that she always cheated at any and all card and board games because she always won!

But it was Jean’s love of music and dancing that kept her spirit going.  In their younger years, both Jean and her first husband Bob would perform in local cabaret shows and would often clear the floor when they danced.  She would then go on to enjoy playing and writing music on the piano with her second husband, Len, whom she met square dancing.  Jean found peace in her later years by joining an organ group that would perform during the Christmas holiday in local Florida malls.  And she was playing the organ right up until several months before her passing.  Music brought Jean to life and you would find her tapping out the beat, or dancing down the hallway behind her walker, whenever a familiar song was played.

Jean is preceded in death by her first husband Robert (Bob) Lynch; her parents and brother, Peter Delorey and his wife Josephine; and her sister-in-law Evangeline (Vangie) Pavitt and her husband Samuel; her brother-in-law John Lynch and his wife Ellen; and her brother-in-law Joseph Lynch.  She is survived by her son John Lynch and his wife Gina of Georgetown, MA and their sons Corey and his wife Danielle of Wilmington, MA, and Christopher and his wife Amanda of Raleigh, NC and great grandson Tristan; her daughter Barbara (Lynch) Donaldson and her husband David of San Jose, CA and their son Michael of New York, NY; and her daughter Nancy (Lynch) LaMontagne of Peabody, MA, formerly Stratford, CT and former husband Greg LaMontagne of Milford, CT and their daughters Sarah and Heather both currently residing in Georgia.

Jean is also preceded in death by her second husband, Herbert (Len) Bittner, and his daughter Shirley Tucker, and survived by Len’s children Herbert (Lee) Bittner, Michael Bittner, Jeanie (Bittner) Grant, and Tamara Bittner, and several grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Jean is also survived by her loving companion these past six years, John Driscoll of Beverly, and his children Denise (Driscoll) Wyer, Jack Driscoll, Kathleen (Driscoll) DeRosa, Christine (Driscoll) Wyard, Steven Driscoll, Michael Driscoll and Kevin Driscoll.

Visiting hours will be held at the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading on Thursday, June 30, 2022 from 4-7pm.  A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Theresa’s Church, 63 Winter Street, North Reading on Friday, July 1, 2022 at 10:30 am.  Interment will immediately follow at Riverside Cemetery in North Reading, MA.

Richard N. Gerardi – 88, of North Reading and formerly of Lynn, MA, died at Winchester Hospital on Thursday, June 23, 2022. He was the loving husband of the late Edna M. (Jones) Gerardi.

Born in Lynn, MA on March 10, 1934. He was the son of the late Lawrence B. and Nancy J. (Ruggiero) Gerardi. He was raised in Lynn and was a graduate of English High School, Class of 1951, he also attended Lee Institute for Real Estate, Franklin Technical Institute and the General Electric Apprentice Program.

Richard was a U.S. Navy Veteran, serving from 1956 to 1957. He worked for many years as an Engineer for General Electric in Lynn. He later formed Gerardi Realty in North Reading with his wife Edna. He has been a resident of North Reading for the past 64 years.

He always encouraged his family and friends to follow their dreams and goals. “Make it happen”, “Luck is accomplished when hard work and preparation meet opportunity”. Richard enjoyed hiking, traveling with his family and day trips in his VW Camper.

Family members include his four loving daughters, Mary Jane (Gerardi) Menard and her husband Mario, Nancy Gerardi, Joyce (Gerardi) Parsons and her husband James and Jodi Gerardi; he was the father of the late Richard Lawrence Gerardi; 6 grandchildren, Heather, Natalie, Katherine, Nicole, Andrew and Mitchell; his late sister Jenny (Gerardi) Pesce; daughter-in-law Jenny Runyon; his nephew Richard and Lorraine Pesce and family.

Funeral services will be private and are under the direction of the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading. To leave an online condolence please visit: www.croswellfuneralhome.com

Dear Dad,

We want to thank you for being the best son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, father-in-law and friend we could of ever had the absolute pleasure to have in our lives. You taught us to be kind, generous, hardworking, funny, knowledgeable and thankful in how you approached every moment in your life, ours and everyone you met throughout your amazing 88 years.

We were blessed to witness your amazing journey on this earth through your ingenuity, skills and talents. You served our Country in theUnited States Navy, meeting your wife and loving her-taking care of her through tough times and wonderful times, putting yourself through school and working as an Engineer for General Electric, Lynn, MA , until you retired. While also attending Lee Institute for Real Estate and starting a real estate business with your wife. You had built your forever home for you and your family. You were always encouraging and loving to your children (Mary Jane, Nancy, Joyce and Jodi) son-in-laws (Mario and Jamie) daughter-in-law (Jenny) grandchildren (Heather, Natalie, Katie, Nicole, Andrew and Mitchell). You encouraged us to be the best and try our hardest… “make it happen…be persistant” your favorite sayings. You traveled the world and always kept your life full of excitement and joy.

We are better people because of you. Thank you Dad

Your loving and grateful family.

Phyllis R. Kulsa – 85, of Peabody and formerly of North Reading, MA, died Sunday, May 29, 2022, at the Jeffrey & Susan Brudnick Center for Living.

Born in Cambridge, MA on December 14, 1936. She was the daughter of the late Alfred Zerega and Mary Gardner.

Phyllis always worked up until her retirement.  One of her first jobs was at the Schrafft’s candy factor in Charlestown, MA and always delighted her children by bringing home candy every night.  Later in life she was a long-time worker at Compugraghic Corp., helping to create circuit boards used in their products.

She was a very generous and caring person and loved to cook for her family. Phyllis loved animals and could never turn down adopting a new critter. One of her favorite restaurants was The Hilltop Steakhouse and she enjoyed taking her kids to the beach when they were young.

She was predeceased in life by her daughter Stacie (1979). Family members include her loving children, Donna and her husband Jeff, Pamela and her husband Roy, Ken and his wife Connie along with her grandchildren Brett, Brooke, Zachary & Sophia and her siblings Ronald, Joan & Maryann.

Services will be private and are under the direction of the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading. Memorial donations may be made in her memory to the charity of one’s choice. www.croswellfuneralhome.com