THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, September 22, 2023 Page 15 Check-out our Youth Service & Engagement Program! OBITUARIES Joseph Fermano Of Winchester, MA. Formerly of Melrose, passed away suddenly at home on September 18th. He was 75. Born on FebDear Community, Registration is open for the Fall 2023 session of our Youth Service & Engagement Program (YSEP)! YSEP is a free, educational and volunteer program for students in grades 7-12. The program runs for nine weeks on Zoom, every Sunday beginning on September 24 at 10:00 a.m. Students in the program complete a volunteer service project, where they learn tangible ways to make a difference in their community and build skills they can use in their careers and future social justice and service work. Students will also learn from Housing Families leaders in housing and health advocacy, as well as special guests, and discuss what they learned. This FOOTBALL | FROM PAGE 11 in his senior season, before getting knocked out for the rest of the schedule with a knee injury requiring surgery, in the fourth quarter of an eventual one-sided win. There is a bit more of a positive spin in Kevin Exilhomme’s case as he did not require surgery and could be eyeing an early November return, in the most optimistic forecast. Even Exilhomme’s presence in the backfield was filling in for still another injury, with junior running back and co-captain Mateus Brito missing the final scrimmage as well as the first two games of the regular season with a shoulder injury. Against Melrose, Malden was down to its third replacement running back when they moved slot receiver junior Davian McGuffie into the backfield against Melrose. The switch to the talented and athletic McGuffie paid immediate dividends, as McGuffie sliced and rambled through the Melrose defense for 43 yards on five carries in the first half. In the second quarter, it went up in smoke as McGuffie went down with a hip injury. He had to leave the game, and Malden was forced to play its 4th and 5th string running backs. Meanwhile, Malden’s passing game was shaky at best. Junior quarterback Aidan Brett completed 4-of-13 passes (too many YSEP students & YSEP leaders at their program graduation is a great opportunity for students looking to complete volunteer service hours, or for any youth looking to give back. Learn more! Join this team of impactful young leaders making positive impact in their community. We can’t wait to meet you! With gratitude, The YSEP Team Katie Byers, Allison Wu, and Molly Abrahamson Questions? Email Katie at katiepbyers@gmail.com or Moldrops) for under 100 yards and one interception. “We have had so many injuries in different places in our lineups. We just are not deep enough to try and keep replacing players,” Coach Exilhomme said. “I don’t think many high school teams can.” Malden played giveaway in a 20-16 loss to Lynn Tech in the opener. The lone highlights were the Exilhomme touchdown run and when freshman quarterback Ryan Bowdridge was inserted into the game and, on his very first pass, hit Gabriel Vargas Cardoso in stride with a 32-yard touchdown pass – on his very first varsity pass of his career. That’s it. Against Alvirne tonight, the coach said, Malden will stick with a balanced run-pass offense. Juniors Marcus Pierre and Zach Johnson will run out of the backfield, and quarterback Brett will be looking to connect with 6-5 senior co-captain Gabriel Vargas Cardoso and juniors Johnson Huynh and Nate Sullivan. Mainstays for Malden so far despite the slow start have been senior two-way lineman and co-captain Jerell Calixte and junior linemen Earl Fevrier, Chris Rodriguez and Christian Cassion. Malden will also be looking for a strong game from senior safety Felix Junior Da Costa, who is the team’s returning leader in the defensive backfield. Da Costa had five intercepruary 3, 1948, he was the son of the late Giuseppe and Anita Fermano. He graduated from Malden High School, where he was a leader on the football field and elected as co-captain his senior year. Joe received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business from Suffolk University in Boston, MA graduating in 1970 and was the first in the Fermano family to graduate from college. He subsequently received his Master in Business Administration from Suffolk in 1982. He also served in the United States Army Reserves and received an Honorable Discharge in 1976. Joe worked as a senior execuYSEP Co-Director Katie Byers ly at mabrahamson@housingfamilies.org tions a year ago. Linebacker and co-captain James Hyppolite, Malden’s top tackler as a sophomore and back for his third varsity season, was knocked out of the Melrose game along with three other starters, but he is expected back tonight. “It has not been easy keeping it together but this is a committed group of players,” Coach Exilhomme said. “They know how to face adversity and they back each other up. We know there are winnable games ahead on our schedule and we are hoping [tonight] is one of them.” **** TORNADO WARNINGS: After tonight’s game, Malden stays home next week for a Friday, September 29, game versus Somerville in its Greater Boston League (GBL) opener... Following that: Friday, October 6, at Lynn Classical; Thursday, October 12, at home vs. Lynn English; Friday, October 20, at home vs. Everett; Friday, October 27, at Revere... This year’s Thanksgiving Day game is on Thursday, November 23, at Medford, the first time Malden will travel to Hormel Stadium in Medford since Thanksgiving Day, 2019... Malden fell, 28-0, to Melrose in junior varsity football action this past Saturday. Freshman QB Ryan Bowdridge had 130 yards rushing, and sophomore safety Matthew Candelario Da Costa had 10 tackles. tive in the healthcare insurance industry for over 40 years, culminating in his role as the Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. His work in the Boston healthcare industry was pivotal in merging Blue Cross with Blue Shield of Massachusetts. He was also a key architect in the design and implementation of the uncompensated care program in Massachusetts. He was a loving husband to his late wife Rita Fermano and proud father to his son Vincent, daughter-in-law Lindsay and grandsons Max and Oliver Fermano of Melrose, MA; and his son Nick, daughter-in-law Jennifer and granddaughter Felicia and grandson Nico Fermano of Melrose, MA. Joe is survived today by his wife Nancy Kiely Fermano and was the proud step-father to Cammy Froude and son-in-law Salman Saghafi of San Francisco, CA; to Andrew Froude and daughter-in-law Kelly and grandson Jack and granddaughter Alice Froude of Rye, NY.Joe is also survived by his brothers Dominic and his wife Sheila of Malden, MA; and Anthony Fermano and his wife Nancy of Peabody, MA.He was also a loving brother to his late sister Lucey Fermano. Joe was never more in his element than when he was surrounded by his family and friends whether it be on the course at his beloved Bellevue Golf Club; doting on his children and grandchildren; or starting his day early to make sauce from scratch for his sacred Sunday family dinners. Joe's loyalty, quiet guidance, wisdom, humor, generosity and love will be remembered by all. Funeral from the A. J. Spadafora Funeral Home, 865 Main Street, Malden on Friday Sept. 22nd at 9:00am followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Mary of the Annunciation Church, 46 Myrtle Street, Melrose at 10:00am. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. Visiting hours will be held at the funeral home on Thursday from 4:00pm-7:00pm. In lieu of flowers the family would sincerely appreciate that donations be made to St. Mary of the Annunciation School, Melrose MA. https://www.stmaryschoolmelrose.org/. To sign online guestbook visit spadaforafuneral.com Norina (Musto) Firmani Of Malden. Passed away on September 19th at the age of 88 after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease. Norina was born in the San Michelle section of the town of Pratola Serra, Avellino, Italy. After an idyllic childhood in Italy, she came to the US to pursue the American Dream in 1955. She settled and worked in Boston where she met the love of her life, Luigi Domenico Firmani. They shared a love for ballroom dancing and soon Norina and Luigi would go on to marry and settle in the Edgeworth section of Malden. They opened Firmani the Tailor in 1967 and ran the business for nearly 50 years before retiring in 2013. Norina was an accomplished seamstress, an avid gardener and cook extraordinaire. Norina was very active in her community and beloved by all who knew her; she enjoyed hosting her family and friends for large Italian feasts and holidays. She leaves behind her devoted husband of nearly 65 years, Luigi Domenico, her four children: Clara and her husband Ed, Marisa and her husband Dana, Ilda and her husband Sean and Filippo and his wife Lori, as well as nine beloved grandchildren: Alessandro, Antonio, Andrew, Gregory, Carla, Sean-Thomas, Cooper, Jack and Lilly. Norina was the daughter of the late Giuseppe and Antonietta Musto. She was the beloved sister of Maria Petruzziello and husband Antonio of Italy; Alessandro Musto and wife Fiorella of Italy; and the late Giovanna Musto and husOBITUARIES | SEE PAGE 17
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