Southborough – Lena A. Carloni, 96, a lifelong resident of Southborough, died Friday, Sept. 15, 2017 at Marlborough Hospital after being stricken ill at home.
Born in Italy, she was the daughter of the late Evaristo and Maria (Ciccolini) Carloni and came to the United States when she was 7 months to join her father and grandfather.
Lena lived in the same house in Southborough all her life, and was a 1939 graduate of the former Peter’s High School in Southborough. Following her graduation, she attended Amherst College for two years.
Lena started her career in the lab of the former Deerfoot Farms in Southborough and continued in the food industry for 45 years until she retired from Kraft Foods in 1983.
Lena tried to live her life by the 3 “F”s, faith, family and friends. She was very active in town and was an active member of the Catholic Women’s Club; Friends of the Library; Southborough Senior Citizens, where she was a former President; Board of the Council on Aging for 20 years, and where she was named Senior of the year in 2007; she also served on the Southborough Historical Society; local chapters of AARP; and worked at the voting poles for 30 years.
Lena had many hobbies, growing roses and gardening, cooking, reading and knitting, which she mostly donated to charity the items she made. Her greatest joy in life was spending time with her family.
She is survived by her sister-in-law, Rose Carloni; her cherished nieces and nephews, Richard and Sandy Desimone, Robert and Tina Desimone, James and Susan Desimone, Raymond and Lisa Carloni, and Tina DeVincent; her great-nieces and nephews, Nicole and Alex Desimone, Hunter and Spencer Desimone, Kyle and Kaylee DeVincent, Lisa Straight, Laura Correa, and Anthony Carloni; and five great-great-nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her siblings, Daisy Desimone and Rudolph Carloni.
Visiting hours will be held Wednesday, Sept. 20, from 4-7 p.m., at the Morris Funeral Home, 40 Main St., Southborough. A funeral Mass will be held Thursday, Sept. 21, at 10 a.m., at St. Anne Church, 20 Boston Rd., Southborough. Burial will follow in the Southborough Rural Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be sent in her memory to Friends of the Southborough Senior Center, 9 Cordaville Rd., Southborough, MA 01772 or St. Anne Church.
To leave words of condolence to the family, please www.visitmorrisfuneralparlor.com.