Double heartbreak: 2 area couples die 9 days apart

• Posted by Obituaries May 20, 2020 - Filed in News - #Dr. Anthony J. Polito  #Florence M. Polito  #Edward Naroian  #Pauline Naroian  #Oakdale Rehabilitation Center  #Saint Camillus Health Center  #West Boylston  #Whitinsville  #obituaries  - 12,117 views

  Two area couples, each married for 67 years, recently passed away within nine days of each other, according to their obituaries.

  Dr. Anthony J. Polito and his wife, Florence M. (Donnelly) Polito, recently passed away at Oakdale Rehabilitation Center. Florence died on May 4, Anthony on May 13.

  Florence was 91, Anthony 95.

  

  bertvthul (Pixabay)

  Edward Naroian and his wife, Pauline (Najarian) Naroian, recently passed away at Saint Camillus Health Center in Whitinsville. Pauline died on May 7, Edward on May 16. Both were 92 years old.

  None of the four obituaries reported the cause of death.

  Anthony Polito “was active in the community serving as director and president of the Worcester Public Library,” his obituary reads. “He also spent several years on the Worcester Veterans Council and the Worcester Historical Commission. He was a parishioner of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church where he served as ecumenical and parish council chairman, lector, and eucharistic minister. He founded the Mt. Carmel Tutoring Institute and Reading Clinic. He was a major patron of St. Joseph’s Abbey in Spencer and a member of the Sodality at the College of the Holy Cross for over 62 years.”

  Florence Polito “was a member of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, its Golden Years Club, and the faith group at St Joseph’s Abbey in Spencer,” her obituary reads. “Flo’s life was her devotion to her Catholic faith, her family, friends, and others were what she was most concerned about. Her kitchen was one place where her love was shared with all. She prepared countless meals including homemade pastas and her famous sauce along with delicious pastries and baked goods. These were served to friends, family, and strangers alike. She visited, prayed for, and prepared meals for the sick and infirmed. She held a special place in her heart for people with special needs. This devotion to the welfare of others continued even after she moved into long term care. Flo was more concerned about helping the people who were helping her than she was about her own care. She always placed others before herself. The only thing she ever asked of others were their prayers.”

  Edward Naroian “was a passionate history and geography teacher at Uxbridge High School for nearly forty years,” his obituary reads. “He loved teaching each and every one of his students and touched many lives. He coached baseball and tennis, and he was a summer camp counselor.

  “Edward was an avid tennis player. In his earlier years, he was known to play year-round and was often seen shoveling the snow off the Hill Street courts during the winter. Edward also was an accomplished bridge player. He spent many summers entertaining countless family and friends “down the Cape” in Yarmouth Port. He loved to dance with his wife every Saturday night and was known as the ‘Silver Fox’ of the dance floor for his smooth moves.’ “

  Pauline was born and raised in Worcester. “She lived in Whitinsville for over 64 years,” her obituary reads. “She worked her whole career as a fastidious bookkeeper at the family business, Najarian Insurance Agency, in Worcester followed by the Whitney Insurance Agency in Millbury.

  “Pauline was an accomplished seamstress and enjoyed making clothes for herself and her daughters. She was a longtime member of the Village Congregational Church in Whitinsville. She spent many summers entertaining countless family and friends “down the Cape” in Yarmouth Port. She loved to dance with her husband every Saturday night and was known for her fancy foxtrot and jitterbug moves. Polly was the life of every party and loved to cook large holiday feasts in her Whitinsville home. Her family and friends meant the world to her.”

  A joint funeral Mass will be held for the Politos at 11 a.m. Friday at St. John’s Church on Temple Street, Worcester. It will be livestreamed on the Mercadante Funeral Home and Chapel website.

  A celebration of Edward and Pauline's lives will be held at a later date.

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