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THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, April 25, 2025 Page 19 OBITUARIES Joseph John Izzo er served as Director of Engineering at Lawrence General Hospital. Relatives and friends were t is with profound sadness that we share the passing of our beloved father, Joseph John Izzo, of Saugus (formerly of Revere), who left us on April 16th at the age of 80 to reunite with our mother, Linda J. (Dulcetta) Izzo. He was surrounded by his loving family in his final moments. Joe’s greatest joy in life was his children and grandchildren. His love for them was unwavering and came above all else. He was an incredible father, grandfather, and human being. His love, wisdom, and strength will continue to guide his family, and his memory will be a lasting source of comfort and inspiration. Joseph is survived by his I fi ve daughters: Lynann Cottuli and her husband Carl of Franklin, Kim Izzo-Alba and her husband Bruce of Saugus, Kourtney Casoli and her husband Michael of Wakefield, Mary-Amanda Parker and her husband Hal of Merrimack, NH, and Katie-Ann Xydias and her husband Bill of Dover, NH; thirteen grandchildren: Ashlie, Heather, Gabriella, Karlin, Anthony, Joseph, Nicholas, Isabella, Olivia, John, Antonina, Mila, and Matteo; and three great-grandchildren: Sean, Lucy, and Genevieve. Born and raised in East Boston, he was the son of the late Paul and Mary (Guardulo) Izzo. He is also survived by his sister, Anna DeCosta of East Boston, and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by seven siblings: Jean Nicoletti, Ida Villano, Nicholas Izzo, Marie Capone, Anthony Izzo, Rita Rizzo, and Paul Izzo. Joseph worked as a foreman in the plumbing and heating department, specializing in medical gases at Children’s Hospital, and latinvited to attend visiting hours at the Bisbee-Porcella Funeral Home, Saugus, on Tuesday, Aprill 22. A funeral was held from the funeral home on Wednesday followed by a Funeral Mass in Blessed Sacrament Church, Saugus. Interment followed at Woodlawn Cemetery in Everett. In lieu of fl owers, donations in Joseph’s name may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at stjude.org. Leonora “Lee” (Skavhellen) Dyment service was held on Tuesday at the First Lutheran Church, Malden. In lieu of fl owers, donations in Lee’s memory may be made to either the First Lutheran Church, 62 Church St., Malden, MA 02148 or the MEG Foundation, 54-58 Essex St., Saugus, MA 01906. Stacey L. Wells Sa n r Sa a y Senior Seni by Jim Miller Where Solo Agers Can Find Help Dear Savvy Senior, I’m a divorced 68-year-old childless cat lady and have been thinking a lot lately about who will look after me when I get older and my health falters. What resources are available to solo seniors like me, and where can I turn to fi nd a reliable person to be my emergency contact, as well as lookout for my health, fi nancial matters and living arrangements in my elder years? Solo Ager O O f Saugus. Age 96, died on Tuesday, April 15th. She was the wife of the late Alton N. Dyment. Born and raised in Bergen, Norway, Mrs. Dyment was the daughter of the late Ananias and Marie Skavhellen. Lee was a retired accountant for the Federal Reserve Bank and also worked as a fl orist. A resident of Saugus for 63 years, she was a member of the Saugus Garden Club and a member of the MEG Foundation board. Lee was an avid skier, swimmer, baker and cook. She was a very active member of the First Lutheran Church in Malden. Lee enjoyed time spent at her lake house in Maine for 62 years. Mrs. Dyment is survived by her son, Kent Dyment and his wife Jeanine of Holden; her daughter, Kirsten Wladkowski and her husband Stephen of Saugus; fi ve grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by two brothers and two sisters. Relatives and friends were invited to attend visiting hours in the Bisbee-Porcella Funeral Home, Saugus on Monday April 21. A funeral f Saugus. Died on Sunday, April 20th at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston after a four year battle with pancreatic cancer at the age of 54. She was the loving mother of Gianna M. Vieno of Saugus. Born in Medford and a resident of Saugus for most of her life, Stacey was the daughter of Richard H. and Carla (Santaniello) of Saugus. She was a Senior Underwriter for many years at AIG. In addition to her daughter and parents, Stacey is also survived by her Brother Richard G. Wells of Saugus and her nephew Breyden. Stacey loved working out and was a wonderful mother, caring daughter and devoted aunt. Relatives and friends are invited to attend visiting hours in the Bisbee-Porcella Funeral Home, Saugus on Thursday, April 24. In lieu of flowers, donations in Stacey’s memory may be made to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Dr. Brian Wolpin Pancreatic Cancer Research at https://danafarber.jimmyfund.org/goto/brianwolpin or to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute & the Jimmy Fund Philanthropy, Attn: Amanda Adreani, 10 Brookline Place West, Brookline MA 024457226 – Please include “Dr. Brian Wolpin Pancreatic Cancer Research “in the check memo. Also, please indicate in the donations “In Memory of Stacey Wells”. Dear Solo, This is a very common concern for the 22 million solo agers across the United States who don’t have adult children or other family they can depend on to watch out for their well-being. Here are some tips and resources that can help you plan ahead. Choosing Helpers & Decision Makers While older adults who have children or are married usually name off spring or spouses as proxies/decision makers, solo agers most often choose a sibling, niece or nephew, or rely on a trusted friend or neighbor. Whomever you choose, talk to them fi rst to make sure they’re up for the task. If, however, you don’t have anyone you feel comfortable with, or who is willing to take on that responsibility, you can hire someone. One of the best resources for this is an aging life care manager. These are trained professionals in the area of geriatric care who often have backgrounds in nursing or social work and can serve as your emergency contact, oversee your care and even act as your executor. They can also connect you with professional legal and fi - nancial services in your area that can help you manage your aff airs. Aging life care managers typically charge anywhere from $100 to $300 an hour, depending on their location and experience. To search for an expert near you, visit aginglifecare.org. If you can’t afford this, there are other reliable sources you can turn to for specifi c help. For example, if you haven’t already done so, you need to prepare a basic estate plan (including a power of attorney, advance directive and a will) to ensure your wishes are carried out if you become incapacitated and when you die. To help you prepare these documents, your best option is to hire an experienced estate planning attorney, which can cost anywhere between $500 and $2,000. He or she may also be able to act as your power of attorney or executor, or help you locate a professional in your area that can. To locate someone, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (naela.org) and National Association of Estate Planners & Councils (naepc.org) have online directories to help you search. If you need help with bill-paying there are services like SilverBills (silverbills.com), or you can work with a daily money manager (aadmm.com) who, in addition to paying bills, can handle tasks like balancing your checkbook and organizing tax information. And to help you navigate care and senior housing options there are certifi ed senior advisors (csa.us). It’s also a good idea to meet with a fi nancial adviser to help fi gure out what services and living arrangements you can aff ord and what steps you can take to ensure that your fi nancial resources last your lifetime. If you don’t have an adviser, you can fi nd a fee-only, fi duciary fi nancial planner trough the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors at napfa.org. Some other helpful resources you can turn to include Aging Alone Together (dorotusa.org/agingalonetogether), a program offered by DOROT, which is a nonprofit social services organization that provides practical ways to help solo agers prepare for the future. They are off ering a free, six-session virtual workshop (offered weekly) via Zoom starting April 24th. Also see Navigating Solo (navigatingsolo.com), a national clearinghouse of resources for solo agers and information about solo-ager groups in the U.S. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. nior ior

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