Donna Marie

Bongiovanni

In the embrace of her loving family, Donna Marie Bongiovanni left this world on March 27, 2026, after a courageous 10-month battle with glioblastoma. Born on May 28, 1947, to Rose (Falzarano) and Angelo Ciampolillo, Donna lived a life rich with love, family, and cherished memories in her beloved Chelsea.
For 55 years, she stood alongside her devoted husband, Anthony "Nino" Bongiovanni, whom she met at Cafe Paradiso in Boston's North End. He offered her a ride in his GTO, but she refused and he sped off. Soon thereafter she agreed to see him and their love blossomed. Together they built a family that thrived on connection and tradition. Donna was the proud mother of Gino Bongiovanni, and Roseann Bongiovanni, as well as a joyful grandmother—the Best Nonnie—to Emma, Olivia, and Anthony Bongiovanni, and Luca and Louisa Figarola.
A lifelong Chelsea resident, Donna witnessed and adapted to the changes of her city. Most memorably when the Tobin Bridge's construction over Webster Ave. necessitated the raising of her childhood home off its foundation and moving it to its settled spot on Gillooly Rd.  Her roots ran deep; her grandparents, immigrants from Italy, established "Rita's Flower Shop" and a convenience store across from Forbes Lithograph, both thriving businesses that became cornerstones of the community.
In her warmth, Donna perfected the art of family, filling every gathering with laughter, love, and her renowned meatballs. Her wooden spoon, both a tool of culinary delight and a playful instrument of discipline, became a symbol of her nurturing spirit. She immortalized moments, never forgetting a birthday or anniversary, her memory a tapestry woven with the dates that mattered most.
For decades, Donna was the epitome of hard work, from Dunn & Bradstreet in her 20s, and after taking a brief pause to raise her children, she returned to work at the original Market Basket in Chelsea ("that she often referred to as store #32"), and later, the medical records departments of Malden Hospital and Lawrence Memorial Hospital. In retirement, she continued to embody service and community, tending to her grandchildren with love, becoming an invaluable poll worker, and capturing titles in the Chelsea Bocce league, including the Chelsea-Revere Championship in 2023.
Donna is survived by her loving husband of 55 years, Anthony "Nino," her devoted children and their spouses; Gino Bongiovanni and his wife Alicia of Billerica, and Roseann Bongiovanni and her husband Sandro Figarola of Chelsea, and her beloved and cherished grandchildren, Emma, Olivia, and Anthony Bongiovanni, and Luca and Louisa Figarola.  She also leaves a sister, Diane Marciniak and her husband Richard of Shelbyville, TN; aunts, Regina Falzarano and Peg O'Meara; sisters-in-law Franca Riparo, Angela Keith, and Dora Salerno; and countless cousins, nieces, and nephews, alongside her lifelong best friend, Rose Pellegrino, of Revere.
In honor of this remarkable woman, family and friends are invited to pay their respects on Saturday, April 4th, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM at Welsh Funeral Home, located at 718 Broadway, Chelsea. A celebration of Donna's life will continue with a funeral service on Monday, April 6th, commencing at 9:00 AM from the funeral home, proceeding to St. Anthony of Padua Church at 250 Revere St., Revere, for a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 AM.  Her journey will conclude with interment at Lindenwood Cemetery, on Lilly Ave., Stoneham, where her legacy of love will forever resonate in the lives she touched.
As we gather to remember and honor Donna Marie Bongiovanni, let us celebrate a life beautifully lived, full of warmth, generosity, and an unyielding spirit. May her memory remain a guiding light for all those she loved.