Obituary

John Leo Puleo, father of 6, grandfather of 18 and great grandfather of 12, passed away suddenly at his home on October 22, 2008. He was 83 years old.

The second youngest of 11 children, with 4 sisters and 6 brothers, John was a lifelong resident of Malden. He joined his brothers in service to his country as a sailor in the United States Navy and served in World War II on a seaplane tender in the Pacific. After returning from serving his country, John married the great love of his life, Anna Gennetti, on July 7, 1946. They settled in Malden where they had grown up and raised their 6 children. Their home became the center of a family that grew over the years to include their children's spouses, their grandchildren and their great grandchildren. While sit-down dinners may have become harder, somehow the family always found ways to get together whenever they could. And Mom and John were "Mom and Dad" to them all.

A member of the Malden Police Department for 30 years, he was decorated for his part in the capture of a shotgun-armed man in 1960 and rose to the rank of Detective. Dad was proud of his service on the Police Department and enjoyed telling his grandchildren about that time of his life. For their part, the children of the family were always both proud and enthralled by the idea that their Dad was a real life policeman.

After retiring from the Police Department in 1980, Dad joined Mom on a more regular basis at the Highland Café. He and Mom purchased the restaurant, the oldest continuous running restaurant in Malden in 1980. Patrons and friends could always find Mom and Dad seated at the restaurant Friday nights having dinner at the end of the evening. These dinners were always social events where visitors stopped by to talk. Mom worked there for more than 50 years and was a fixture, as much a part of the restaurant as the pizza. The renovation of the restaurant in 1987 included a mural of their grandchildren playing, painted on the wall of one of the dining rooms. Even after their sons took over the running of the restaurant, Mom and Dad still enjoyed their Friday night dinners at the Highland Café.

Dad always believed in community involvement and service to his fellow man whether it was as a police officer in Malden Square, a trustee of Malden Trust, a member of the Board of Directors of Bread for Life or a member of the Saint Rocco Society. Dad marched in the Saint Rocco procession for years. He was an active member of Saint Peter's Parish in Edgeworth until it closed in 2005.

Dad taught his children and grandchildren that a rich life was one filled with faith in God, love of family and the love of a special woman. Dad was a rich man.

His funeral will be held from the A. J. Spadafora Funeral Home, 865 Main Street, Malden on Saturday, October 25th at 9:30 a.m. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in celebration of and thanksgiving for his life at 10:30 a.m. at the Immaculate Conception Church. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. Visiting hours will be on Friday, October 24th from 3:00 – 8:00 p.m. Interment will be in Forest Dale Cemetery, Malden.

In lieu of flowers, donations in John's memory may be made to Hallmark Health Hospice, 178 Savin Street, Malden, MA 02148.