Jean E. Testaverde Obituary
Jean E. (Codinha) Testaverde, a lifelong resident of Gloucester passed away peacefully on Thursday, February 1, 2024, at her home, leaving behind a legacy of love and compassion that her family will carry on in her memory. She was 82.
Jean was born to Joaquin and Esther Codinha. At age 17, she met and later married the love of her life, John. John promised her a big family, and together they realized that promise, having four children: Theresa, John, Nina, and Mary. Her door was always open, and everyone who passed through could feel the love and comfort of home. She was happiest baking in her kitchen and sharing her treats with others.
A Fisher College graduate, Jean worked a variety of jobs throughout her career, but she found her true calling at the Seaward Inn. She was the first person you'd see if you visited the small oceanside inn in Rockport. She manned the front desk, greeting every guest with a smile and the best local recommendations. She was as much of a draw as the views, and her frequent guests maintained lifetime relationships with her, calling and texting years after she retired.
To her grandkids, who she spent the latter half of her life raising, she was Mima. Mima would pick them up from school, telling them to "meet her at the big rock," drive them past her childhood home on Beach Road, and bring them to the Orchard Road house, where she'd fill them up with fried dough and endless memories. In an age where both parents worked, Mima acted as a second mother to her grandchildren, teaching them life lessons and hosting countless sleepovers that were always a blur of Hershey's kisses, Disney movies, and falling asleep to Magic 106.7. You could always find Mima and Papa cheering on the kids, whether it was an East Gloucester Vikings football game or a high school baseball game under the lights at Evans Field. Mima mastered the arts of Facetime, emojis, and location tracking, and she made sure to always know where her "kids" were. She sent them a "Saturday night text" every weekend.
Jean held tightly to her faith, always in communication with God through her prayers, never asking anything for herself. She was the most selfless person you'd ever meet, always putting others first. Even when she was housebound, she found ways to help others, knitting countless scarves and snowball mittens for those in need in our community, also sending some to the U.S. Army while her grandson was stationed in Europe.
Jean is survived by her four children, Theresa Testaverde and her partner, Sally Nicastro, John Testaverde and his wife, Marie, Nina Goodick and her husband, Stephen and Mary Marcantonio; her son-in-law, Bruce Emerson; her puppy, Little Angel; her brother, Paul Codinha and his partner, Nancy; her brothers-in-law, Thomas Testaverde and his wife, Roseanne and Salvatore Testaverde and his wife, JoAnn; her grandchildren, Kayla Testaverde, Cory Emerson and his wife, Isabela, John Testaverde, Jr. and his wife, Samantha, Michael Emerson, John Vitiello and his partner, Priscilla, Kathryn Vitiello, Stephanie Hyde and her husband, Barrett, Rebecca Johnston and her husband, Cory, Rayme Lachance and Derek Lachance and his wife, Monica; great-grandchildren, Luna, Kiley and Rachel; Spencer; Lochlan and Leighton; Ryan and Avery. Jean is also survived by her loving aunts, Lucinda Labrincha and Luana Klabunde; her Godchild, Diane Testaverde; cousin, Joann Meyers, who was like a sister and cousin, Monsignor Anthony Frontiero among many other nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Jean is predeceased by her husband of 52 years, John; her parents, Esther (Cortina) Smith and Joaquin Codinha; her parents-in-law, Rosario S. Testaverde and Antonina "Lena" (Randazza); her brother-in-law, Joseph Testaverde, and his wife Joanne (Puccio).
The family would like to thank Anne-Marie DiPaolo from Beth Israel Lahey Health at Home for her loving care that she gave to our mother.
Her visitation will be held in Our Lady of Good Voyage Church on Tuesday, February 6, 2024, from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. with a Mass celebrated at 11:00 a.m. Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery, Gloucester.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to Cape Ann Museum's Art of Lunch Program, 27 Pleasant St, Gloucester, MA 01930.
Arrangements by Greely Funeral Home, 212 Washington Street, Gloucester, MA.
