Felix A. 'Phil' Cardarelli

Waltham – Mr. Felix A. ‘Phil’ Cardarelli, of Waltham, died Friday, September 17, 2010 at his home. He was 87.

Phil was born in Newton on January 1, 1923, a son of the late James and Gerarda (Perruzzi) Cardarelli, and had been a Waltham resident for the past fifty-seven years. He was a graduate of Our Lady’s High School in Newton and until his retirement had worked for the family owned Cardarelli Construction Company of Waltham.

During World War II he served with the U.S. Army’s 293rd Engineer Combat Battalion, arriving in Europe just in time for his unit to be caught up in the infamous ‘Battle of the Bulge’ during the winter of 1944-45. He attended William and Mary College while in the Army and after the war graduated from the Chicago Technical College with a degree in architectural engineering.

A longtime member of Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted Parish in Waltham, Phil was also a member of the Waltham Ballroom Dance Club, the PFC John M. Sullivan USMC VFW Post No. 10334 and the Joseph F. Hill American Legion Post No. 156, both in Waltham and the Piave e Fiume Lodge No. 1036 of the Order of Sons of Italy in Watertown. He spent his retirement years finding great joy in the company of his family, golfing and being the proud and devoted ‘Papa’ to his eleven grandchildren.

Phil leaves his wife of 61 years, Donna M. (Deibler) Cardarelli; his children, Pamela M. Vecchione and her husband, John, of Sudbury, Paula J. Keane and her husband, David, of Easton, Diana L. Daley and her husband, Shawn, of Medfield and Lisa A. Pratt and her husband, Robert, of Waltham; his grandchildren, Tara Lundy, Lauren and Alyssa Vecchione, Jeffrey, Stephen and Erica Keane, Kristen and Katelyn Daley and Ryan, Mark and Matthew Pratt; his brothers, Henry Cardarelli and Dante Cardarelli both of Newton; his sister, Evelyn Billings of Newton and many nieces and nephews.

He was also a brother of the late Anthony, Nina and Carmella Cardarelli and Angelina Perruzzi.

Family and friends will honor and remember Phil’s life by gathering for calling hours in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Tuesday, September 21, from 4 to 8 p.m. and again at 10 a.m. on Wednesday morning before leaving in procession to Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted Church, 880 Trapelo Road, Waltham where his Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Private committal services will be held on Thursday in Massachusetts National Cemetery, Bourne.

Memorial donations may be made to Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 10 Brookline Place West, 6th Fl., Brookline, MA 02445-7226.