Delfa Magri

Delfa Veronica (Barabani) Magri, 93, formerly of 65 Lincoln St., Holyoke, died April 24, 2019 at home in Decatur, Georgia after a brief illness. She was born in Pawtucket, Rhode Island on May 28, 1925, the daughter of Italian immigrants Eliseo and Lilia (Lotti) Barabani. She moved to Holyoke with her parents and brother, Delfo, in 1939. She was educated in the Pawtucket and Holyoke public schools and graduated from Northampton Commercial College in 1942. A resident of Holyoke until 2008, she worked at her parents’ luncheonette, Del’s Confectionery on Sargeant Street from 1939 until 1951 and as cashier for Eugene Tamburi at the Yankee Pedlar from 1951 to 1955. In 1955, she married Leo Magri, of Magri’s Market, and became a homemaker, devoted to her husband and three children.

In 1977, because of a benign brain tumor, she permanently lost most of her eyesight and became legally blind. She accepted this disability with courage and faith, and she continued to live an active life. After Leo retired in 1992, they enjoyed spending their days together, attending daily Mass and going out for lunch.

She was a longtime parishioner of Holy Cross Church and in 1989 was inducted with Leo into the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. In 2008, she and Leo moved to Georgia to live with their daughter Julie and were members of St. Thomas More parish.

She is survived by her two daughters, Mary Anne Magri of Holyoke and Julie Magri of Decatur; and by nieces and nephews Delfo, Christine, Anthony, and Paul Barabani, Robert Fontaine, Maria Lucier, and Pina, Joseph, Dan, Matt, Anne, David, and Peter Magri and their families.

She was predeceased by Leo, after 58 years of marriage, in 2014; her son, Gerard Magri of Marlborough in 2010; her brother, Delfo Barabani, Sr. of Chicopee in 2015; nieces Lisa and Joanne Magri; nephews John and Timothy Magri; and her dearest friend of 50 years, Justine Wajda of Holyoke in 2016.

The family thanks all of Delfa’s home caregivers during the past six years, especially Karen Poole, Coneeto Strong, Noemi Villaseñor, Marcy Owen, Kim Goodwin, Heather Wright, Laquinta Hutchins, and Trista Shoen, along with hairdresser Roberta Vaughn for their loving care which enriched Delfa’s quality of life.

Friends are invited to gather on Sunday evening April 28 at St Thomas More Church, 636 W Ponce de Leon Ave, Decatur, GA (parking lot in rear off W Trinity Place) for visitation at 7 pm followed by a prayer service at 730 pm. Funeral and burial will be in Holyoke, Massachusetts on May 10.

Feel free to leave the family your condolences via the guestbook provided.