Genevieve M. (Gaudiano) Constas

Genevieve M. (Gaudiano) Constas, 89, of Quincy, died peacefully after a long illness, her devoted husband of 68 years by her side. 

Genevieve Michelle Gaudiano was born June 21st, 1934 on Cross Street in Quincy, Massachusetts. The fourth child (of six), she was the last surviving child of Michael and (Mary) Pauline Gaudiano. She was raised in Quincy, where she attended St. Mary’s school in West Quincy, and graduated from Quincy High School in 1951. 

She married Lambro A. “Larry” Constas in 1956, and together they raised four children on Rustic Place, in a house with a big yard on a small hill that was good for sledding and riding Big Wheels. 

A proud, lifelong resident of Quincy, Massachusetts, she was a frequent volunteer when things needed to get done, helping to organize several Gaudiano family reunions (where her pastitsio and baklava were always a hit), as well as several Quincy High school reunions. She served in the PTA at the Willard School, and taught CCD for many years at St. Mary’s Church, where she also served as a Eucharistic Minister. 

Her first job was as a clerk in Drohan’s candy store, on Copeland Street in West Quincy. in the 1940s; her last was as a loan officer at South Shore Bank, in Quincy Center, in the 1990s. The years in between were largely spent caring for her husband, her children, her parents, and her friends. She had a long and respectable career in the Olindy’s candlepin bowling league, and loved low stakes gambling, especially penny ante poker, scratch cards, and the family football pools and numbers games that she often ran. She enjoyed attending plays and concerts, especially if her children and grandchildren were performing, and had a particular appreciation for the music of Barry White. In retirement, she and Larry enjoyed travelling throughout the United States, babysitting grandchildren, discovering new cocktails, visiting Foxwoods, and meeting friends for pizza at the Pleasant Café in Roslindale-- usually wearing a fashionable hat. 

Gen will be remembered for her laugh and her sense of humor, and for her ability to look on the bright side. Never one to dwell on disappointment or complain, she did, however, regret the lack of educational opportunity she was afforded, something she made sure her children would have. She was, nonetheless, an avid and wide-ranging reader, and a lifelong learner, always willing to try new things. She also would have liked to have been a little taller, and missed them when she could no longer wear heels. 

She was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother, and a loyal, reliable, and fun friend. All who came into her home were warmly welcomed and shown loving kindness. 

She is survived by her husband of 68 years, and primary caretaker for her last 7, Larry Constas; their children Paula Constas of Somerville, MA; Christopher Constas and his wife Stacey, of Wakefield, MA; and Steven Constas and his wife Stacie, of Dover, NH; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren; many nieces, nephews and cousins; and countless friends made along the way.

Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend her visitation on Friday April 12, 2024 at the Hamel-Lydon Chapel, 650 Hancock St, Quincy, beginning at 9:00am immediately followed by a Funeral Mass at 10:00am in St. Mary’s Church of Divine Mercy Parish, 115 Crescent St, West Quincy. Private interment will occur on a later date.   

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Gen’s memory to the Special Olympics of New Hampshire, P.O. Box 3598, Concord, NH 03302. For more information or to leave condolence messages visit HamelLydon.com.