Carmella L. (Fantasia) Lisa

Watertown – Mrs. Carmella L. (Fantasia) Lisa, of Watertown, died Tuesday, December 9, 2014 at her home. She was 94.

Carmella was born on June 2, 1920 in East Boston, one of five children born to Italian immigrants Eugene and Luisa (Principe) Fantasia. When she was seven the family moved to Watertown.

In 1961 she moved with her growing family to Waltham where she lived before returning to Watertown four years ago. She was a graduate of Massachusetts Bay Community College and later earned her bachelor's degree from Framingham State College.

Until her retirement Carmella worked as a teacher at a Wellesley nursery school and before that had worked at Grover Cronin's Department Store in Waltham and for the Raytheon Company.

Carmella was a longtime member of Saint Jude Parish in Waltham where she was a Eucharistic minister and member of the choir. She was also involved with the activities of the Stigmatine Fathers and Brothers in Waltham and with the Sisters of Charity of Montreal, the Grey Nuns, in Lexington. She had also been a former member of the Cornelia dei Gracchi Lodge No.1583 in Watertown of the Order of Sons of Italy in America.

The wife of the late Peter G. Lisa, she leaves her children, Robert A. Lisa and his wife, Amy, of Billerica, Anthony S. Lisa and his wife, Louise, of Wilmington and Judy M. Ribeiro of Watertown; her grandchildren, Stephen, Peter and Adam Lisa and Lisa Ribeiro; her sister, Rose Bateson of Kansas; four great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

Carmella was also the mother of the late Frances Lisa and a sister of the late Emma Judd, Emmanuel Fantasia and Benjamin 'Tony' Fantasia.

Family and friends will honor and remember Carmella's life by gathering for calling hours in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Friday, December 12th from 4 to 8 p.m. and again at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday morning before leaving in procession to Saint Jude Church, 147 Main Street, Waltham where her Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Burial will follow in Saint Patrick's Cemetery, Watertown.

Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 480 Pleasant Street, Watertown, MA 02472.