Salem …

Mrs. Marie T. (Nagashima) Porcello, age 88, wife of the late Rudolph F. Porcello, USAF Retired Finance Officer, died Thursday morning, April 28, 2011 at the North Shore Medical Center, Salem Hospital. Born in Tokyo, Japan, Mrs. Porcello was the daughter of the late Kazo and Mia (Shiraichi) Nagashima.

She was raised and educated in Japan. She met her husband while he was serving his country during WWII. They married and came to the United States in the early 1950's. They were stationed all over the world while serving in the United States Air Force. In 1969, Mr. and Mrs. Porcello settled in Salem where she lived for over 42 years.

Mrs. Porcello was employed with Almy's in Salem, working as a cook for their lunch counter. She had also worked at Dunkin Donuts in Peabody and at the Salem Hospital as a seamstress.

Mrs. Porcello was very creative, quick with her hands and very strong willed. She enjoyed crocheting, and made beautiful Japanese Dolls. She liked pretty flowers and arranging them and when she was younger enjoyed working in her yard. When special occasions would come around, Mrs. Porcello enjoyed making outfits for her family. She was a very good seamstress, she enjoyed cooking, Japanese music and American music from the 1940's and she had a talent for always making a good first impression.

Surviving her are her two daughters, Jerrie Marie Howland, RN and her husband Richard of Beverly; Joyce Miller of Salem; five grandchildren, Nicole Thompson of Byfield and her fiancé Scott Coates; Julia Miller of Revere; Christine Tersero of Washington, DC; Christopher Howland and his wife Karen of Auburn; Peter Howland of Beverly; one great granddaughter, Alyssa Gentile of Revere; her close friend and sister in law, Mary Porcello of Salem; many nieces and nephews and her cat, Fatty. She also had seven brothers and sisters who lived in Japan. She was also the mother of the late Joanne Porcello.

Mrs. Porcello's funeral will be from the Murphy Funeral Home, 85 Federal St., (corner of North St) Salem, on Monday, May 2, 2011 at 9:00 AM followed by a Funeral Mass at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 260 North St., Salem at 10:00 AM Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. Visiting hours are at the Funeral Home on Sunday from 1 to 4 PM Burial in St. Mary's Cemetery, Salem. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, 20 Speen St., Framingham, MA 01701. For online guest book or additional information, please call 978 744 0497 or visit www.MurphyFuneralHome.com.