Theresa M. (Leone) Latino

WORCESTER - Theresa M. (Leone) Latino, 102, died April 7 at Beaumont Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Worcester. She was born in Worcester on June 26, 1917, a daughter of Antonio and Jennie (Sceretta) Leone, and lived all her life in Worcester and Holden.

Theresa was at the top of her class at Belmont Preparatory School, graduated from Commerce High School in Worcester in only three years, and then attended Becker Business School, now Becker College. She worked at a variety of jobs until her marriage to Philip Latino in 1941.
While home with her two young children, Theresa became very involved in the Parent-Teacher Association, first as president of the Harlow Street School PTA, and later serving a term as president of the City of Worcester Council of PTAs.

She returned to the work force in the late 1950s, and after achieving a score of 100% on the state Civil Service Exam, took a position with the City of Worcester Bureau of Traffic Engineering, eventually rising to the position of Head Clerk. Upon her retirement in 1986, she was presented with a key to the city by then-mayor Joseph M. Tinsley.

Theresa was a voracious reader, hardly ever seen without a book in her hand, and was especially fond of murder mysteries. After she retired, she took up hand-quilting, producing a number of beautiful bedspreads. A shrewd and lifelong card player, Theresa also decided to take bridge lessons, and for the next twenty years enjoyed semi-weekly bridge games with her new, bridge-playing friends.

Retirement also brought other new challenges and activities. For more than a dozen years, Theresa worked for the Holden Town Clerk as an election worker. She also happily volunteered for many years in the second-grade classrooms of Holden teachers Cathy Harrington and Gail Miller, where she was known as the spelling guru.

But for Theresa, family was always the most important thing. She was a loving and conscientious daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was also a fine cook, and the apple pies and eggplant Parmesan casseroles she brought to many a family gathering were the stuff of legend.

Theresa will be lovingly missed by her son Robert Latino and his wife Christine of Sturbridge; her daughter Jean Berg and her husband Alan of Holden; grandchildren Michael Latino of Sterling, Steven Latino and his wife Gail of Ft. Meyers, FL, Laura Dubrule of Frederick, MD, and Michelle Dubrule of Sterling, VA; great-granddaughters Samantha and Katie; brother Anthony D. Leone of Larchmont, NY; and by many nieces and nephews.
Besides her parents and her husband Philip Latino, who died in 1984, Theresa was predeceased by three sisters, Connie Kelleher, Lena Migliorelli, and Jean Lanciault; and two brothers, Thomas Leone and Pat Leone.

Because of the current pandemic, funeral arrangements are private. At a more appropriate time, a memorial gathering will be held to celebrate Theresa’s life. Funeral arrangements are under the care of Miles Funeral Home.

When her eyes failed her late in life, Theresa listened to her whodunits by the hour on audio books. So please direct any memorial contributions to the Gale Free Library, 23 Highland St, Holden, MA 01520, to be used for the purchase of additional audio books. To share a memory of offer an online condolence, please visit the "Tribute Wall" on this page.