Lynn - Raffaela passed away peacefully on Wednesday, December 17.

Born on January 20, 1931 in Montella, Avellino Italy. She was one of four children of Pasquale Chiaradonna and Anunziata (Vernacchio) Chiaradonna. She Lived in Italy till May 1971, when at that time she made the decision to immigrate to America to provide her family with more opportunities. She set up a home by herself and then called for her family to reunite with her six months later.

Raffaela was the matriarch of her four children, seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. One of her favorite hobbies was her green thumb for gardening. If you can name it, she probably grew it and her other pleasure was cooking, this was her way of making sure family and friends gathered together. However her ultimate passion was raising and caring for her family, She relished and drew energy from watching her grandchildren and great-grandchildren grow up.

Raffaela, Nonna, Ma was a light to every person she met. She could talk to anyone and it was pretty much a guarantee that you would walk away smiling or laughing. Raffaela worked at Star Sports Wear in Lynn as an assembler and then at Bradless in Swampscott.

She is predeceased by the love of her life, her husband Gerardo Cientanni, her two brothers Umberto and Giovanni Chiaradonna and her sister Generosa Chiaradonna. She leaves behind her forever grateful children Antonietta Moscariello and her husband Raffaele Anna Dugan and her husband Mark Bruno Cientanni and his wife Amy, Rosa Hunter and her husband Steven, Her grandchildren Michael and Sally Moscariello, Christopher Dugan and his Wife Samantha Palermo, Jessica Dugan and her husband Nick, Gerardo Cientanni and his wife, Amanda, Christina Cientanni and her partner Matt, Andrew Hunter and his partner Ashley LaBonte, Her great-grandchildren Gabriella, Allison, Samantha, Jackson, Sophia, Giuliana, Daniella, Amelia and Alessia and many nieces and nephews who reside in Italy and Canada.

Visiting hours will be in the Solimine Funeral Home 426 Broadway Lynn on Monday, December 29th from 4 to 8 p.m. A Funeral Mass will be held on Tuesday, December 30, 2025 in Holy Family Church 21 Bessom St Lynn at 10:30 a.m. Burial will follow in Swampscott Cemetery. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. Directions and guestbook at www.solimine.com.