Final Salute

February 22, 1931 – January 26, 2021

Peabody – George Leroy Gonnella Sr. 89, beloved husband of the late Janice E. (Mercurio) Gonnella, died Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at the Lawrence Memorial Hospital in Medford.
Born in Chisholm, Maine, he was the son of the late Leroy P. and Grace (Volpe) Gonnella. He received his education in the Jay, Maine school system.
An honorably discharged veteran, he served his country during the Korean Conflict as a Seabee in the United States Navy.
Mr. Gonnella had been employed for over 25 years by the Department of Labor and Industries for the State of Massachusetts until the time of his retirement in 1996. Prior to that he had worked as a carpenter for Volpe Construction and with his brothers in their carpentry business.
A resident of Peabody for the past sixty years, he was a member of the former Cy Tenney Club in Peabody. He was a loving father, grandfather, great grandfather, brother and friend who will be missed by all who knew him.
Surviving him are two daughters, Donna Knowles and her husband, David of Epping, NH and Karen Stein and her husband, Thomas of Tewksbury, a son, George L. Gonnella Jr. and his wife, Patricia of Pepperell, six grandchildren, Emily Spear and her husband, Derek, George Gonnella III, Sarah LaPointe, Tyler Stein and his wife, Kelly, Stephanie Gonnella and David Stein, a great grandson, Thatcher Spear, a sister, Ann Powers of Lynnfield, three brothers, Robert Gonnella of Kittery, Maine, Anthony Gonnella of Apex, NC and Leroy Gonnella of Greensboro, N.C. and many nieces and nephews. He was also the grandfather of the late Michael LaPointe and brother of the late Virginia Miraglia.
His funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Adelaide’s Church, 708 Lowell St., Peabody, Friday, January 29, 2021 at 10:30 a.m. Relatives and friends are invited to attend. Burial in the Puritan Lawn Memorial Park, Peabody. All attendees are required to wear a mask and adhere to social distancing guidelines. The funeral Mass will be video live streamed at https://www.saintadelaide.com for anyone unable to attend. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in his memory to the Alzheimer’s Association, 309 Waverley Oaks Rd, Waltham, MA 02452 or the Disabled American Veterans, P.O. Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301. For directions and online guestbook, please visit www.ccbfuneral.com.
Published on January 28, 2021