Mary DiZazzo-Trumbull died March 18, 2025, after a long illness. Mary was born on Christmas Day 1954, in Lawrence, Massachusetts, first-born child of Alec DiZazzo (1920 – 2010) and Josephine (Catalano) DiZazzo (1923 – 2001). Both parents were natives of Lawrence Massachusetts. Mary’s grandparents were immigrants. The DiZazzo family was from Rocca d’Evandro, Caserta, Italy. The Catalano and related Cosentino families were from Aci Catena, Catania, Sicily, and Aci Sant’Antonio, Catania. On September 29, 2003, Mary was wed to David Trumbull, in Rome, Italy.

In addition to love of family and the Boston arts and theatre scene, Mary was proud of her trade as a cosmetologist. She followed her mother and grandmother in this trade and earned her credentials at the M. Fazio Institute of Beauty Culture, Class of ’74. She worked in various beauty salons until she operated her own business, Mary for Nails, from March 1996, until, due to declining health, she had to shutter the business in March 2018. Mary was a columnist for the Post-Gazette, The Italian-American Voice of Massachusetts, where she wrote her “All That Zazz” beauty culture column since August, 2003.

In retirement she continued to support the trade she had taken such pride in. Even in her recuperative bed she renewed her Commonwealth of Massachusetts license as a Cosmetologist. She gave back to her trade and encouraged its future by agreeing, in April 2015, to serve on the Greater Lawrence Technical School Cosmetology Advisory Board. She also gave talks on beauty culture talks at the North End Branch of the Boston Public Library.

Mary’s hobbies were too many to list, but what stands out was her dollhouse and the miniature furnishing. The dollhouse had its own address to which a weekly newspaper was delivered. In 2014, the Beacon Hill Times newspaper published a front-page story about Mary’s dollhouse. The reporter, upon receiving a photo of the dollhouse said, “I see your living room, but where is the dollhouse?” Mary responded, “That is the living room of the dollhouse.” That same year the Newseum, a museum in Washington DC published an online story about Mary’s diminutive domicile.

Donations may be made in her name to the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy, 185 Kneeland Street, 2nd Floor, Boston, MA 02111, or to your favorite organization that advocates for rights of disabled persons. Masses or other expressions of sympathy may be sent to David Trumbull, 130 Bowdoin St, Apartment 1110, Boston, MA 02108, or to trumbull@trumbullofboston.org.

Final arrangements are through Boston Cremation, 287 Main St, Malden, MA 02148 (info@bostoncremation.org). No public ceremonies are planned.

The final words:

“She made me a better man.” — David Trumbull