SALEM – Mrs. Mary Grace (Pardo) Perrone, of Salem, beloved wife of the late Leo Perrone, died with her loving family by her side following a long courageous battle with Alzheimer's disease.

Born in Beverly, she was the daughter of the late Patrick F. and Evelyn (Scollin) Pardo. She was raised and educated in Salem and was a graduate of the former St. James Girls School and St. James High School. She continued her education on at the former Salem Commercial School.

Mrs. Perrone worked as an executive assistant with the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company and then for many years to Dr. Carlman Fisher, DPM. She had also been employed as a waitress at the Century House in Peabody. She loved her time spent at the Century House making many friends and seeing many more. It was a like a small family there. Mary's greatest accomplishment, was her family. She was ultimately proud of her husband, daughters and grandchildren. She took great pride in supporting them in all of their endeavors and providing a warm and loving home for them.

A lifelong resident of the city of Salem, Mary was an active member of the former St. Mary's Italian Church in Salem. She was President of the St. Mary's Italian Ladies Sodality and helped raise funds for the church through her efforts in the Bingo program. She was always proud of her heritage and loyal and loving to her parents and sisters. Mary and her husband, Leo, loved to travel in their Air Stream trailer and later in their Motorhome. Annual visits to Wells and Ogunquit, Maine, and to Sarasota Florida were always looked forward to. In later years, they spent summers down Winter Island in the motorhome, babysitting the grandchildren, cooking out and relishing the fellowship of other motorhome travelers and locals alike. Mary appreciated times spent at the Salem Senior Center and all of the events she attended, from the Valentine's Day dance to the St. Patrick's Day dinners, she always had a smile on her face. Her artistic and musical talents shown through with her ceramics and her beautiful piano playing. Music always filled the air in the Perrone household, especially Frank Sinatra, Frankie Valley, Josh Groban and others. She was an outstanding cook and made the most delicious baked goods that she shared with family and friends.

Mary was happiest when surrounded by her daughters and grandchildren, with Leo at her side, at a family cook out or holiday event, with an easy laugh and always a twinkle in her eye. Mary and Leo were a love story for the ages, now reunited in heaven a great team back together in the arms of the angels. It was always Mary and Leo, whenever you referred to them and now they are together again.

The Perrone family would like to thank the team at the Lafayette Nursing Home for their care of Mary these last few years as Alzheimer's took her from them. They did their best to help her and to Care Dimensions for their assistance in her last few months.

Mary's legacy is one of love. Love for her city, her church, her friends and most importantly the enormous love she had for her family. May her memory be eternally in the hearts and minds of those she loved.

Mary is survived by her daughters. Mary C. Gigliello and her husband, John of Peabody, Lisa Marie Vare and her husband, Nicholas of Kensington, NH and Jennifer Ann Perrone-Wessell and her husband, Kevin of Salem, her grandchildren, Marina and Bianca Gigliello, Nicholas and Elise Vare and Natalie Wessell, a niece, a nephew, and her sister-in-law, Sister Catherine Perrone SND of Conn. She was the sister of the late Carolyn Torigian and Eleanor Piecewicz Smith.

ARRANGEMENTS: Her funeral service will be held at O'Donnell Cremations - Funerals - Celebrations, 84 Washington Square (at Salem Common) SALEM, Thursday, Feb 6th at 12 noon. Visiting hours prior to the service from 10 AM to 12 noon. Burial in St. Mary's Cemetery, Salem. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mary's memory to Care Dimensions, 75 Sylvan St., Danvers, MA 01923 or to the Lafayette Nursing Home, 39 Lafayette St., Marblehead, MA 01945. To share a memory or offer a condolence, please visit www.odonnellfuneralservice.com

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