Irene E.

(Kozlowski) May

Irene E. May passed away on Sunday July 10th after a brief decline of health.  She was 93 years of age.  Born and raised in Chelsea she was a beloved daughter of the late Adam and Mary (Tomaszewski) Kozlowski and the wife of Joseph F. May with whom she shared 61 years of love and devotion raising their three daughters.  Irene attended local schools and graduated from Chelsea High School Class of 1945.

As a young lady Irene worked as a telephone operator at the Chelsea Central Office for NE Tel & Tel. Co.  She left work to devote her time to raising her family and caring for her home.  After her family grew, she returned to work for Massachusetts Commission for the Blind "MCB" at the Chelsea Soldiers Home Canteen.

Throughout her life Irene's devotion remained centered around her much loved home and family.  She was proud of her Polish Heritage and her adopted Italian Heritage.  She would prepare traditional Polish and Italian meals for the many family gatherings and holidays.  She enjoyed spending summers at the family cottage on White Pond in Windsor, NH.  Together with her husband they acquired additional cottages on the pond to enable their daughters and their families to share vacations together creating wonderful memories.  Irene enjoyed growing flowers and tending to her extensive rock garden.  She took great pleasure in doing puzzles, reading, and especially teaching her grandchildren card games.

Irene was predeceased by her husband Joseph F. May, her siblings; Louise Nowicki-Hurley, Joseph Kozlowski, Charles Kozlowski and several beloved sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law.

She was the loving mother of Christine DePrizio of Chelsea and her late husband Louis, Joyce May-Boudreau and her husband Stephen of Peabody, Mary Ellyn May-Webb, and her husband David of Townsend.

Cherished grandmother of Michael DePrizio and his wife Kate; Jennifer DePrizio and her husband Tom Fleming; Allison Frometa and her husband Ramelfo "Fito;" Jessica Cole and her husband Levar; Nicholas DePrizio; Leighanne Duvall and her husband Justin; Stephanie Boudreau; Justina Webb; Heatherlee Estes and her husband Christopher; David Webb and his wife Jessica. The adored great-grandmother of Sophie, Sadie, Will and Charlie DePrizio; Josie Fleming; RJ Frometa; Jonathan, Benjamin, Nicholas, Julia, and Robert Cole; Haylee, Christopher, and Ryker Estes; and Max Webb.

She is lovingly remembered by many nieces, nephews, extended family members and friends.

Visiting hours will be held from the Welsh Funeral Home, 718 Broadway, Chelsea on Friday July 15th from 4 - 8 P.M.  Relatives and friends are most kindly invited to attend.  Funeral from the Welsh Funeral Home on Saturday July 16th at 9:00 A.M.  Followed by a funeral mass at Our Lady of Grace Church, 59 Nichols St. Chelsea at 10:00 A.M. Services will conclude with interment at Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett.

Should friends desire, contributions in her memory may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Pl., Memphis, TN 38105-1905. WWW.StJude.org/Donate