Eva W. Tota, 93, of Bellingham and formerly of Natick, passed away peacefully Friday, September 23, 2022.
She was the beloved wife of the late Stephen J. Tota, with whom she shared 66 years of marriage. She was born in Natick, MA, the daughter of the late Silvestro and Egidia (DeFilippi) Montagna.
Throughout her life, Eva had the tremendous task of serving as both her family’s bedrock and soul; she lived for her family and its many generations, acting at times as a pillar of strength or a source of security, often putting her own feelings aside in the process. Still, amid that selflessness, she found time to pursue her own passions – practicing her faith, traveling to Italy, advancing her knowledge of the Italian language, translating and reading great works, like Dante’s epic poems, strolling quietly along a shoreline.
Eva bore immense pride for her 16 grandchildren (and four great-grandchildren), all of whom loved her deeply, and she told each one this, again and again, upon every visit. She made them feel special and never allowed one of their achievements, no matter how small, pass without praise. She respected them as individuals, took note of their accomplishments and imparted her wisdom to them in quiet, but impactful ways. They will never forget her love.
All her life, Eva maintained a connection to Italy; her family originated in Lombardy, and she never lost touch with her relatives there despite the thousands of miles separating them. She visited Italy several times with Stephen, and each trip helped form a stronger bond between the two sides of the family. Eva found happiness in uniting the families, and thanks to her, that union remains intact today, with cousins chatting online or over the phone and traveling back and forth between the two countries.
She was the mother of Paul F. Tota and his wife Barbara of Ashland, Joanne T. Fuller and her husband Tom of Portsmouth, NH, Carol J. Ermanski and her husband Paul of Ipswich, Joseph J. Tota and Elizabeth Purcell of Barkhamsted, CT, Susan J. Almeida of Ashland, Diane M. Trask and her husband Steven of Franklin, the late Stephen S. Tota and his late wife Sherry.
She was grandmother to Matthew and his wife Laura, Sarah, Cheri and her husband Brian, Paul and his wife Anna, Amanda and her fiancé Nate, Stephen, Bobby, Kristen, Joey, Ryan and his wife Sarah, John, Charlie, Connor, Bella, Cameron, Brayden, and great-grandmother to Avery, Callie, Violet and Juliet.
She was the sister to the late Robert Montagna and his wife Shirley, and the late Francis Montagna and his wife Ellie. She is also survived by many cherished nieces and nephews and dear relatives in Italy.
Relatives and friends are invited to a Mass of Christian burial which will be celebrated for both Eva and Stephen at St. Patrick Church Natick, MA, where they were married, June 15, 1952. The Mass will be held on Friday, September 30, 2022 at 10 AM, immediately followed by a burial at St. Patrick cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.
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