Alice Constance "Connie" Accomando
May 16, 1931 ~ May 23, 2025
Born in:
Beverly, Massachusetts
Resided in:
Beverly, Massachusetts
Alice Constance “Connie” Accomando, age 94, of Beverly, passed away peacefully on May 23rd, 2025, comforted by her 3 sons.
Connie was born May 16th, 1931, at Beverly Hospital but was raised in her family home by her Mother Alice Elizabeth Lucas Mallon, a college educated legal secretary and Father Edward “Ted” Mallon, a musician, on Pleasant St. in Manchester-by-the Sea. Connie’s maternal grandparents Charles Lyman Lucas and Mary Elizabeth Bigwood Lucas built the family home on Pleasant St. and brought much love and laughter to her and her sisters’ lives.
She lived her life surrounded by her neighborhood friends and classmates as a spirited “red head”, adventurous, mischievous and full of fun. At an early age she met a Marine recruit from Beverly, Joseph Dominick Accomando, and corresponded as he made his way from Parris Island, SC, to the shores of Japan in the midst of WWII. Upon his return, they wed in late November of 1950.
Soon after, Connie had three sons, Joseph Paul, Richard Charles and James Lucas. Those boys meant the world to Connie, and she was engaged in everything they did. She was their Cub Scout Den Leader, active PTA member, always present at their sporting events and even worked in the lunchroom cafeteria.
Connie was a social being and her network of friends was the “Rat Pack” of their day. Summers at West Beach and Lynch Park, royal rummy card games on weekends and meaningful vacations with her family and friends. When her children were young there was a lot of rustic cabins and tent camping. Travel included the lakes and mountains of northern New England and even a trip across country surviving a friendly bear encounter in Yellowstone, a tornado in Texas and the magic of early Disney in Anaheim CA. Later she traveled with her friends visiting more exotic places in Europe, California, Florida and Hawaii staying in the comfort of a hotel.
In addition to her volunteering as an air raid warden, pollster at election time and active in all things civic and politic, she had a long career as a telephone operator for what is now Verizon. She provided comfort to newborns while volunteering at Beverly Hospital and shared her joy of life with others at the Beverly Senior Center.
Connie also had a love for animals, caring for creatures big and small since she was a little girl. She took the phrase “wouldn’t hurt a fly” literally and would return any confused insect that found its way into her home back outside.
She had a passion for stray and sheltered animals. Growing up with more than a dozen feral and cats, Connie made a home for a stray cocker spaniel she named Honey who soon had puppies keeping her favorite named Cuddles. She added a calico cat named Friskee from the shelter. Her son brought home a German shepherd named Rascal who became especially close to her husband Joe. When Joe passed, Connie adopted her all-black cat Missy, who along with Missy II, kept her company later in her life
However, Connie’s greatest love was her children, and especially her grandchildren. She was fun, there were guaranteed laughs, sassiness and lots of life lessons. Some advice you took and others you only listened to. She was a talker and had the best stories. She was candid and unfiltered with her love and sometimes her anger. She passionately defended all who she loved and supposedly kept a book filled with life’s grievances and claimed she would later “collect”. She was known by many, and it was rare to go anywhere locally and not be stopped by a friend.
Connie was a great cook. She embraced her Irish, Scottish and English heritage but made the best meatballs and pasta to the envy of her father-in-law “Pa” from Avelino Italy. Her pot roast, desserts and holiday feasts were to remember. Her family will continue her holiday meal traditions and will try their best to come close to Connie’s famous cooking.
Her passion beyond family was gardening. Connie and Joe were recognized with a gardening award for their rose bushes which circled their property and robust flower, and vegetable raised bed gardens. Celebrations at her home went beyond gardening. Every July 4th was an epic family and friend reunion at her backyard pool including great music, food and fireworks display. Labor Day was a neighborhood street closure with food, games and events including the entire block. Connie knew how to have fun.
After the passing of her husband Joe in 1993 due to cancer, Connie continued to embrace her life as a Nana doting on and visiting each of her grandchildren as they grew into adulthood. She traveled far and wide to support her grandchildren while they were in school, college and beyond attending their after-school activities, sports games, concerts and social lives. Nana’s positive attitude, storytelling and endless energy were contagious. She had a memory like a steel trap and was always cheering on her grandkids – and their friends and teammates – showing up and supporting them through all of life’s big moments.
Connie joins her sister Elizabeth “Betty” Mallon Perkins and stepsister Helena M Lipfert Stevens in eternal rest and is survived by her sisters Faith “Fay” Mallon Schirm who resides in Los Gatos CA, Joan Mallon Wogan who resides in Manchester-by-the Sea and step-brother Edward “Ed” J Mallon Jr. of Quincy, MA. She is survived also by her three sons and their families. Paul of Sullivan ME, son Richard with spouse Beverly of Beverly and their three children Katie with spouse Shannon, Alyssa and Mary and son Jim with spouse Wendy of Fairfield CT and their two children AJ with spouse Abby and Olivia. She loved so many but had an especially close relationship with family friends Priscilla Rowand, Nancy Spirodigliozzi, Pat Beavaus, Gary Dockham and many others.
A gravesite celebration of life was held as Connie was eulogized by her immediate and extended family. She rests eternally beside her loving husband Joe at St Mary’s Cemetery in Beverly, MA.
She had a wonderful life.
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Jim, Wendy, AJ & Olivia