Maria L. (Bombardi) Accorsi

Maria L. (Bombardi) Accorsi, 81, of West Springfield, passed away Monday, February 2nd surrounded by her loving family.Born in Cento, Italy on June 21,1933 to the late Ebe (Artioli) and Renzo Bombardi, Maria was known to her family and close friends as Marisa and was raised in the beautiful region of Emilia Romagna with her two younger sisters. She learned to deeply value life and the people she loved at an early age through the hardships that came with survival during World War II. Perhaps dearest to her was her grandmother Teresa whom she frequently remembered in stories to her family. As a young woman, Maria worked for many years as the manager of a pasta-making factory while helping to care for her sisters and family. It was later in her life that she met her husband William. They married in 1965 and lived in both Italy and the United States until permanently settling down in West Springfield. She was an exceptional cook, and an award-winning cross-stitcher, however, she considered her greatest accomplishment to be her family. Her biggest joy in life came in the form of her children and grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband William of 32 years in 1997, her mother in 2009 and her father in 2011. Maria leaves, to treasure her memory, her daughters Roberta Reardon and her husband Christopher, Paula Picard and her husband Nelson, all of West Springfield; her most precious grandchildren Sarah Picard, Brittaney (Picard) Galarneau and her husband Eric, Dylan Reardon, William Picard, Kyle Reardon, Sean Picard, and Christopher Reardon, Jr., her sisters Franca Tartarini and her husband Claudio and Roberta Contri and her husband Carlo as well as two nieces and two nephews, all of Italy. She also leaves her faithful dog, Jack. Maria's family would like to thank all of those who helped to make her last months beautiful and comfortable including the staff at Mercy Life and Mercy Oncology, Deacon Don Philip, and her loving care takers, especially Donna Kelley. The funeral will be Friday at 9 A.M. at the Toomey-O'Brien Funeral Home, 1043 Westfield Street, West Springfield, followed at 10 A.M. by a Liturgy of Christian Burial at St. Francis Xavier Cabrini Church in West Springfield. Burial at St. Michael's Cemetery. Calling hours will be Thursday from 4-7 PM. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Maria's name to either Community Resources for People with Autism or The Wounded Warrior Project.