Rita R. (Maffie) Marroni

Rita R. (Maffie) Marroni, of Reading, beloved wife of 69 years to Arnold A. Marroni, passed away peacefully on Thursday, January 26, 2023, surrounded by her family. She was 90.

Rita was the cherished daughter of the late Peter and Carmela Maffie. She attended East Boston High School and graduated from Boston University. She earned a master’s degree from Boston University School of Social Work and had a successful career as a medical social worker at the Mass General Hospital and the Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston.

Rita had many interests which she enjoyed with family and friends. She and her husband were music enthusiasts and attended auditions at The Metropolitan Opera in New York and in Boston and Cambridge. She was an avid reader, a Great Books leader in her community, and enjoyed reading from a wide selection of authors. She was fascinated with local and national politics, enjoyed listening to talk radio programs, and loved traveling to Southern California, Arizona, and Italy.

Family and friends were Rita's greatest joy and she had a marvelous sense of humor.  She was very proud of her siblings, the late Albert, Joseph, John, Anthony, and Edward Maffie, Mildred Guarenti, and Mary Gilbert, stayed in touch with many beloved nieces and nephews and cousins over the years, and greatly valued her lifelong friendships.

Rita was a Christian and had tremendous faith. She was deeply devoted to her husband and family and made everyone feel appreciated and loved.

Rita is survived by her husband Arnold and their six children and their spouses: Anne Marroni, Thomas Marroni, Francene Marroni, Christina Schueler and her late husband Ray, John Marroni and his wife Susan, and Paula Marroni.  She is also survived by two grandchildren, Michael Marroni and Mia Marroni, and two step grandchildren, Felicia D'Amico and Nicholas D’Amico.

A funeral mass was held at Saint Patrick Parish, 71 Central Street, Stoneham and in the Doherty-Barile Family Funeral Home, 11 Linden Street, Reading. Interment was at Forest Glen Cemetery.