Jean (Decola) Caisey

Waltham – Mrs. Jean (Decola) Caisey, of Waltham, died Wednesday, September 7, 2016 at Lahey Clinic in Burlington. She was 95.

Seventy years prior, on the seventh of September 1946, a tall, handsome, just out of the Army Waltham native by the name of Roland J. "Rollie" Caisey proposed to her, and on the 28th of November that year, the couple were married in Saint Mary's Church. The pair lived in Waltham for the rest of their lives and enjoyed fifty-eight happy years together before his death on May 2, 2004.

Jean was born on July 28, 1921 in Wayland to the late Gussy "Jack" and Francesca (Diodati) Decola, recent immigrants from Civitaquana, Italy. She grew up on her family's farm before moving with her sister and best friend, Delia, to Cambridge where she loved working as an elevator girl, writing poetry, and singing at boat club dances.

When her brothers, Murry and Sam, went to fight in WWII, Jean abandoned her dream of becoming a nurse in Boston to move to Waltham and work double-shifts at her family's Monarch Diner. Though she lamented leaving behind her life in Cambridge, it was at that diner in 1946 that she met Rollie.

For years, Jean was a homemaker and also chose to take on several cleaning jobs to help provide her children with dance and music lessons. Even after her children were grown, she continued these jobs as a way to spend time with her husband, Rollie, after his retirement. Jean herself did not retire until the age of 93, although she never stopped keeping her own home immaculate. She was notorious for her holiday decorations, especially at Christmas, her favorite time of year. During the last ten years, she enjoyed shopping, traveling, and sneaking bacon under the table to her great-granddog, Smokey.

She leaves her children, Robert R. Caisey and his wife, Gloria, of Scituate, Geary M. Caisey of Waltham, and Sheila C. McCarthy of Gloucester; her brother, Louis "Sam" Decola of Waltham; her grandchildren, Mark Caisey, Melissa Claffey, Shauna Caisey, Charles McCarthy and his wife, Alison, and Dee Nolan and her husband, Erik; and five great-grandchildren, Patrick Reilly, Rebecca Claffey, Lucy Nolan, and Jack & Miles McCarthy.

Jean was also a sister of the late John Decola, Murry Decola, and Delia Lyons.

Family and friends will honor and remember Jean's life by gathering for calling hours in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Sunday, September 11th from 4 to 8 p.m. and again at 9 a.m. on Monday morning before leaving in procession to Saint Mary's Church, 133 School Street, Waltham where her Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Burial will follow in Mount Feake Cemetery, Waltham.

Memorial donations may be made to the charity of one's choice.