Phyllis Ciarametaro

It is with heavy hearts and great sadness that we announce the passing of Phyllis T. Ciarametaro, daughter of the late Antonio Bertolino and Rose (Cianciola), loving wife of 62 years to the recently deceased Joseph Ciarametaro, III, and devoted mother of Christopher, Steven, Valeri and Daniel Ciarametaro.

Phyllis was born and raised in Gloucester, Mass. Her early years, as she described them, were taken up by serving as flower girl in many relatives’ weddings and being fitted for bridesmaid dresses. She was a 1954 graduate of Gloucester High School, where she performed with the Glee Club and Drill Team. After graduation, Phyllis worked as a secretary for an ex-FBI agent and at a local newspaper, one highlight of which included taking tea with John F. and Jackie Kennedy.

After marrying the love of her life, Joe, Phyllis and family settled in Salem, Mass., where she devoted herself to raising her children and continuing to enrich her life with classes in woodworking, painting and storytelling. She served as a library aid at the Witchcraft Heights Elementary School, and especially enjoyed reading to children, sometimes in costume.

Phyllis and husband, Joe, moved to Arizona in 1987, where she was employed at an interior design company that specialized in hospitals and medical buildings, from which she later retired.

After surviving a small stroke, Phyllis began researching her and Joe’s family histories, compiled several volumes of information, met many old and new relatives, and generously shared all her research with anyone interested. This work led her to begin compiling and writing the stories of her family and childhood, composing fictional stories and attending classes to better her writing. Some works have been published in anthologies and magazines.

Phyllis and Joe moved back to the East Coast in 2018, relocating to Swampscott to be closer to family. She continued writing and thoroughly enjoyed the support and companionship of her writing classmates of the Swampscott Senior Center.

Phyllis is survived by her four children; sons, Christopher and partner, Christine Greer, Steven Ciarametaro; daughter, Valeri and husband, Dan Grimes, son, Daniel and wife, Rene’ (Passarella) Ciarametaro; four granddaughters, Emily Ciarametaro, Alison and husband, Jake McDougall, Jennifer Grimes and partner, Joe Paha, and Claire Ciarametaro; sister Mary Ann Ciarametaro; brothers, Angelo and wife, Eleanor, Samuel and wife, Vincie; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Visitation was be held on Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023, at the Solimine Funeral Home, 67 Ocean St. (Route 1A), Lynn, Mass., followed by Phyllis’s Funeral Mass at St. John the Evangelist Church, 174 Humphrey St. Swampscott, Mass. Burial was in Swampscott Cemetery, Swampscott, Mass. Donations in Phyllis’s memory may be made to: Friends of the Swampscott Senior Center, P.O. Box 612, Swampscott, MA 01907. For online guestbook, please visit solimine.com.