Obituary of Paula Jean MacDonald

Paula Jean Tillman MacDonald, 52, of Riverview, Florida, beloved fiancé of James. V. Giarrusso and loving mother to Therese Marie Novis and Michael “Mac” John MacDonald Jr., passed away unexpectedly from a heart condition on Friday, September 16, 2016 at her home. Born in Salem, MA, Paula was the daughter of Paul J. and Patricia (Bezzati) Tillman of Toledo, OH and Peabody, respectively. She was raised in Peabody and was a graduate of Peabody Veterans Memorial High School, Class of 1981. She continued her education at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell and graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing. She made a career of Obstectrics nursing, caring for countless newborns. Paula was part of the fabric of her neighborhood and was a kind and devoted friend to all that knew her. A loving mother, daughter, fiancé, sister, niece, cousin, and friend, Paula will be remembered for her sweet and gentle demeanor and her devotion to her family and profession. Paula was predeceased by her late husband Ronald R. Novis of Watertown, MA. She is survived by her loving fiancé, James V. Giarrusso of Riverview, Fl;her parents of Peabody, MA, her children Therese Marie Novis of Peabody and Michael “Mac” John MacDonald, Jr. of Haverhill; her brother Thomas Tillman and his wife Maggie of Sugarland, TX; her sister Erin Tillman of Manchester-by-the-Sea; her maternal uncle Edward Bezzati of Peabody; many nieces, nephews, cousins, neighbors, coworkers, and friends. A Visitation will be held from the Conway Cahill-Broduer Funeral Home, 82 Lynn Street, Peabody on Tuesday September 27 from 4-8 P.M. Her funeral mass will be held at St. John the Baptist Church, 16 Church Street, Peabody, on Wednesday, September 28 at 10:00 A.M. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend. Expressions of sympathy may be made in Paula’s memory to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation , www.jdrf.org , NE Chapter, 60 Walnut St., Wellesley, MA 02481 or to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation www.naaf.org. , 65 Mitchell Blvd. # 200, San Rafael, CA 94903 in her memory.