The Villages, FL: Marie Colognesi of The Villages, Florida, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, January 28, 2025.

She leaves her loving husband of 57 years, Louis Colognesi; her sons, Edward Colognesi and his wife Lesley of Westborough, MA; Anthony Colognesi and his wife Jennifer of Sturbridge, MA; her brother Joseph Simonelli and the love of his life Barbara of Webster, MA; her brother Alfred Simonelli and his partner David Guerrero of San Diego, CA; her sister Paula Duthie and her husband Robert of Clearwater Florida; her three grandsons Max Colognesi, Dominic Colognesi and Sebastian Colognesi and numerous nieces and nephews.  She was predeceased by her father, Edward Simonelli, in 1989 and her mother, Jeanne (Lemoine) Simonelli, in 1999.

Marie was born in Southbridge, MA, on Christmas Day. She graduated from Charlton High School and later worked at Pan Am Airlines, where she enjoyed traveling the world. She was an avid outdoor enthusiast and loved hiking, skiing, biking, golfing, and tending to her garden.  Her favorite places to be were Big Alum Lake and Sugarloaf Mountain. Before moving to Florida, she volunteered at Harrington Memorial Hospital for 18 years and was a Beta Sigma Phi Sorority member for over 41 years.

Marie was a fantastic cook and enjoyed planning amazing dinners and parties for friends and family.  Her elaborate holiday celebrations rivaled Martha Stewart. She won the annual Cricket Drive apple pie contest so many times that she ultimately retired from the competition to judge.

She was meticulously organized, an incredible seamstress, and never afraid to learn the latest technologies. She enjoyed knitting intricate blankets. She was a true socialite and easily made fast friends.  She loved her weekly Mahjong games with her dear friends in Florida. She was also steadfast in her faith and a member of St. Theresa Church in Belleview.

Her most honored and important job in life was being an incredible mother to Ed and Tony.  She worked hard to make their childhood magical, from sewing their Halloween costumes each year, making gingerbread houses together, or planning family vacations. She was so proud of her boys and the incredible men she raised them to be. She was happiest with them as her family was most important to her.

Marie later found immense joy in her three grandchildren, whom she loved beyond measure.  She cherished being a Nana first to Max, whom she took care of when he was little. Nana was his first love and second mother.   Recently, she enjoyed every moment she could with Dominic and Sebastian. Marie loved reading, swimming, cuddling, playing, and video calls with them.  She proudly shared all her grandsons' pictures and videos with her friends in Florida daily.  She also treasured her summers at Little Alum with her niece Kelley and husband, Tom Halchuk.

Ronald Reagan said, "Wherever a beautiful soul has been, there is a trail of beautiful memories." Marie spread her love and kindness far and touched many people's lives, from her family to her life-long friends.  Above all, Marie was happiest enjoying life with her family and friends.  To her, spending time with those she loved, cooking for them, laughing with them, and making memories was where she found her happiness.

A funeral Mass for Marie will be held on Friday, Feb. 28th, at 10:00am in St. Anne Church, 16 Church St., Sturbridge.  Burial will be at a later date.  Calling hours for Marie will be held on Thursday, Feb. 27th, from 4:00 to 6:00pm in the Daniel T. Morrill Funeral Home, 130 Hamilton St., Southbridge.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a random act of kindness in Marie's honor.

To view the Live Streaming of Marie's Funeral Mass on Friday, Feb.  28th, at 10:00am - Please click on link below

https://client.tribucast.com/tcid/a25028792782661

If streaming is lost the service will be recorded for viewing after the service