S. Rita (Arcana) Salvucci

Mrs. Santa Rita (Arcana) Salvucci, of Waltham, peacefully passed away on Sunday morning, January 28, 2024, in her sleep.

Born on January 14, 1925, in Boston, Rita was the daughter of the late Frank and Sarafina Arcana of Scituate. She was the wife of the late Ralph Salvucci, the sister of the late Josephine Arcana Bono and the late Joseph Arcana, and the mother of Ralph and his wife Sharon Salvucci of Marlborough, Peter Salvucci of Waltham, and Stephanie Salvucci of Weston. She had and adored all her nieces, nephews, and beloved grandchildren, namely, Stacy Morgan of Weston; Kaitlin Traft, her husband Robert, and great grandchildren of Braintree; Deanna Bono of Scituate, and Dean James Demetri II of Weston.

Rita graduated from Scituate High School in the Class of 1943, worked for the Bell Telephone Company, and married Ralph Salvucci in 1954.  

Her priorities and rewarding career were focused on her family. She prided herself on being partner to her late husband, Ralph, and mother, grandmother, and great grandmother to her children.

She returned to the telephone company when her children were older and found success working as an assistant to several account executives.

She took great pride and devoted much of her time to the Fernald School, the Republican party and politics, and making contributions to The Home for Little Wanderers, St. Mary’s Parish and other Catholic Charities, the Cancer Foundation, and St. Jude’s Hospital.

Her life was full of family and friends. She summered in Scituate until her children were grown and in her later years traveled extensively with her daughter and grandson. Some of her greatest joys came from her involvement in the lives of her grandchildren. Rita even spent countless hours at events in the arts and athletics with her grandson and his friends at the Belmont Hill and Fessenden schools.

Rita had an endless thirst for crossword puzzles, she enjoyed music, theater, the Patriots and Tom Brady, the Red Sox, and was an avid card player. She was fiercely independent and drove freely until the covid epidemic in 2020.

We are thankful to have shared her for so long and the family will celebrate her life as she wished.

Her Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, January 31^st in Saint Mary’s Church, 133 School Street, Waltham.  Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery, Waltham.

In lieu of flowers contributions can be made to The Home for Little Wanderers or to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.