Thomas Anthony Aucella

Thomas Aucella of Reading died at Winchester Hospital on August 11, 2013, following a brief illness. A World War II veteran and Massachusetts native, he lived in Reading for more than six decades with his wife of many years, Ada (Macrillo) Aucella. He was 86.



The son of the late Phillip Aucella and Jenny (Lupo) Aucella, he was born in Revere and grew up in Saugus, where he played on the Saugus High School football team and graduated with the Class of 1945. He left school early to enlist in the U.S. Navy, and served on a minesweeper off the Pacific Coast in the years immediately following the war.



After returning home he began a lifelong career as a carpet installer, starting as an apprentice to his father. Over the years he became a master craftsman, in demand by top interior designers in Boston and New York City for his professionalism and dedication to quality. He worked at historic sites, museums, theaters, hotels, restaurants, offices, and private mansions along the East Coast, often flying to remote locations on small airplanes. One extensive project took him as far as Bahrain on the Arabian Gulf, where he was honored with a gift of traditional Arabic clothing as a sign of respect for him and his work. The highlight of his 45-year career was carpeting an altar erected on Boston Common for Pope John Paul's October 1979 visit to Boston. He kept a swatch of the papal red carpet as a treasured memento.



A loving and devoted family man, he met Ada Macrillo soon after returning from the service. They were married in Lynn on May 1, 1949, moved to Reading in 1950, and raised four children there, remaining in the same house to the present.



Home was his favorite place to be. A tinkerer, carpenter, and general Mr. Fix-it, he tackled repair and improvement projects of all kinds, devising ingenious solutions to tricky problems and fearlessly taking drastic measures. (He once sawed an armoire in half to fit it through a narrow stairwell, then put it back together perfectly, with no signs of the operation. He had experience with this tactic, having previously sawed a king-sized box spring in half to move it upstairs.) After decades of tending to his beloved home, he spent countless hours helping his grown children renovate their homes. A hard worker with great energy, he was generous with his time and skills, always ready to help neighbors and friends as well as his family.



Often quiet and reserved, he had a sociable side that quickly emerged at any gathering, and enjoyed long conversations and joking with family and friends. He loved following the Red Sox and Patriots, the music of Tony Bennett and Nat King Cole, and home-cooked Italian food, especially lasagna and baked stuffed artichokes. He had a sweet tooth and a special fondness for doughnuts, cannoli, and Italian pastries.



In addition to his wife, he leaves sons Thomas Aucella, Jr. and his wife Sharon, Steven Aucella and his wife Jody Regan, and Timothy Aucella; daughter Susan Aucella; grandchildren Matt Aucella and his wife Kate, Erin Aucella, Kara Jenkins and her husband Alex Jenkins, and Katie Aucella; great-grandchild Samantha Aucella; and sisters Nora Atkinson, Lorraine Burr, and the late Elvira "Chickie" Aucella.



Funeral from the Doherty - Barile Family Funeral Home, 11 Linden St. READING Friday, August 16, 2013 at 9:30am followed by a Funeral Mass Celebrating Thomas' Eternal Life in St. Agnes Church, 186 Woburn St. Reading at 10:30am. Family and friends are cordially invited to gather and share remembrances with the Family on Thursday, August 15, 2013 from 3-7 pm in the Funeral Home. Parking attendants and handicapped entrance are available. Interment with Military Honors Wood End Cemetery, Reading.



Memorial gifts may be made to the Winchester Hospital Foundation at 611 Main Street, Winchester, MA 01890.