Christie A.

Dente, Sr.

Christie entered eternal life on Thursday July 29. He was 94 years of age.

Born and raised in Chelsea he was a beloved son of the late Palmina (Simboli) and Louis Dente.  He was a lifelong resident of Chelsea and attended local schools.

At 17 and with the blessing from his mother, he enlisted into the USMC and served during the closing years of WWII. He was honorably discharged at the rank of PFC and returned home to Chelsea.

He was soon married to his beloved childhood sweetheart Rita M. Bradley.  Together they raised their family in Chelsea residing for many years in the Bellingham St neighborhood.  Christie was widowed in 2012 after 61 years of devotion and romance.

He began working as a welder at the Charlestown Navy Yard, resigning from the shipyard when the yard was decommissioned in 1974.  He became a real estate broker and worked for many years in Chelsea and Melrose as director of Housing and Urban Development.

In his lifetime Christie enjoyed Saturday night dancing with Rita at the Beachmont VFW and the former Chelsea Moose Club.  He enjoyed traveling with his wife to Florida, Las Vegas, making frequent trips to Atlantic City, and several ocean cruises.   He also enjoyed time close to the ocean, sunbathing at Revere Beach or the boardwalk in Atlantic City.

In addition to his wife and parents he was also predeceased by his siblings; Charlie Petrillo, Carmen Petrillo and Angie Fabrizio, his   daughter Rita C. Pearson in 2016 and grandson Roy A. Pearson in 2020.

He was the forever devoted father of Susan Pennell-Campbell and her husband Tim of Haverhill.  Christie A. Dente, Jr. of Melrose and Lisa Feeley of Foxboro.  And cherished grandfather of Leighann Twist, Crystal McCarthy, Ricky Pennell, Shannon Feeley, Amanda Dente, Ray Feeley and Christopher Dente.

Funeral services were private and concluded with Christie being placed to rest with his wife in Holy Cross Cemetery following committal prayers and military honors.

Should friends desire, contributions in Christie's name may be made to Alzheimer's Association of Mass., 309 Waverly Oaks Park, Waltham, MA 02452.