- Date Of Birth: December 27, 1927
- Date Of Death: September 12, 2016
- State: Massachusetts
Angela (Rizzi) Bettencourt Merluzzo, of Danvers, died on September 12, at the Brentwood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Her life was blessed with family and friends. Born on December 27, in Naples, Italy, Angela was the child of Filomena and Michele Rizzi. Angela had an older brother and a younger sister both of whom predeceased her. She is survived by her younger brother, Frank and his wife, who reside in Sicily. In 1945 in Italy, Angela married Lawrence Anthony Bettencourt who, at the time, was a Sergeant in the United States Fifth Army. Angela is survived by two sons from her marriage to Lawrence: Donald Lawrence Bettencourt and his wife, Rena; and Arthur Lawrence Bettencourt and his wife, Joy; and three grandchildren, Lawrence Bettencourt, Margaux Bettencourt-Pasquarella and Lauren Bettencourt. Angela is also survived by her great grandson Anthony. Also leaving her four step-grandchildren; Rick and Michelle Lanphear of Maine, Ronny and Sandy Lanphear of Rowley, Arron and Rochelle Lanphear of Arizona and Shelly Butler of Danvers, Ma. Several years after the passing of her first husband, Angela married Sebastian Merluzzo of Salem and the couple resided in Danvers. Sebastian predeceased Angela. Angela’s family was at the center of her life. She took great joy in bringing her family together for meals and conversation. She also gave her grandchildren the gift of history as she recounted her many experiences and observations as a child during World War II in Italy.
