Pauline (Gambone) Piso

Pauline (PERRY) Gambone Piso, 93, passed away peacefully to be with the Lord on Tuesday, February 10, 2026 surrounded by her loving family at her home in Worcester.

Born May 23, 1932 in Newton, MA, Pauline was the daughter of the late Edward N. and Anna E. (Smith) Perry. She was a graduate of Kingston High School, class of 1948.

As a child, Pauline was a gifted athlete in softball, basketball, swimming, and diving, which she carried on into her adult life.

She also loved to draw as a child and, as an adult was a talented artist creating beautiful scenic watercolors, as well as acrylic painting of the various rocks that she would find at the many beaches along the east coast of New England.

Pauline’s father was a talented musician and Pauline grew up to love music, as well. She had a beautiful singing voice and quickly picked up an ear for harmonizing. She sang and recorded voice-o-graph records with her first husband Jerry in the 1950’s, after they married and settled in Orland, PA. He would sing and she would harmonize and the voice-o-graph booth would spit out their vinyl record on pressed cardboard, like a photo booth spitting out pictures.

Pauline loved to dance in almost any genre, starting from the 1920’s and 30’s high energy Charleston style, to jazz and modern, and then took up clogging in Maine, after she retired. It would not be unusual for her to get up out of her chair to be the first person to start dancing on the dance floor, if there were no dance floor, she would dance between tables and chairs.

She met her first husband, Jerry, at a semi-pro basketball game at Otis Air Force base. They married in 1951 in St. Joseph’s church in Kingston, having a military wedding with a special honor guard of nine men from the Air Police Squadron at Otis Air Force base in Falmouth, where Jerry was stationed. Their marriage became front page news in the Old Colony Memorial newspaper, boasting a large photo of the military presentation of arms to the bride and groom. Pauline always said Jerry was the first love of her life.

Pauline and Jerry as newlyweds continued with their active lifestyles playing sports. They had a brood of 6 children, before moving to Massachusetts in 1962, where they had 2 more children. They enjoyed camping with their Massachusetts neighbors and friends, as well as ice skating with the neighbors in the connected back yards.

Widowed at 33 years old, Pauline had 7 children and was carrying her 8th child, when her beloved husband Jerry died in 1964 from a sudden heart attack.

Pauline moved forward and took care of her family because, as she said, she had no other choice. She was very determined to keep her family together no matter what. Once writing and often saying "I hope that when I’m remembered, they'll say that I did the best that I could with what I had to work with."

As a widow with 8 children under the age of 13, Pauline went to work as a secretary at Framingham South High School, so she could have the same school vacations as her young children. She enjoyed taking her kids on camping trips all around New England during the summer months.

Having graduated from high school, with exceptional secretarial skills in typing and short-hand, it landed her the job at FSHS. She also dedicated her free time coaching basketball and softball, and still enjoyed swimming and diving, to stay active with her children.

Continuing with her love for music after Jerry died, Pauline and about 5 of her children were seen wheeling an old player piano down Water Street in Framingham crossing the road to her home on Nadine Road. Pianos were expensive and moving a piano was even more expensive. The player piano, a gift from her friend Myrna, was rebuilt, becoming the focal point of many parties for many years for all of her children, neighbors, and friends.

Pauline dedicated her life to her family, and after Jerry’s death, she joined PWP (Parents Without Partners), so that her children could participate in fun activities and outings. She was the author of the PWP newspapers and planned the PWP camping trips, where she enjoyed singing at the campfires with all of the other parents. She had many laughs and a lot of fun accompanying her friends and fellow singers. This is where she met some of the dearest longtime friends of her life.

While working during the “Blizzard of ‘78”, as a Framingham Police officer, Lou Piso told Pauline that no one was supposed to be on the roads during that catastrophic blizzard. Pauline was on her way to get home to her kids from the south side of Framingham to the north side of Framingham. Lou became the 2nd love of her life; they dated for 5 years and married in 1983 in Ashburnham.

After marrying Lou, Pauline survived 4 breast cancer diagnoses, but was determined to not let that slow her down, so she remained active and walked a lot during all of her 4 treatment plans.

She was a hard worker, very practical and unintimidated by people or ventures, which in that era, were not deemed typical for a widow to pursue. She designed and built four homes in her life. The first two, in Dennis port, MA and Ashburnham MA, which she rented out and maintained as investments. After retirement, she and Lou designed and built their post-and-beam retirement home in Lubec, ME, on Johnsons Bay in the Bay of Fundy, with the infamous big oval window facing the view of the ocean that she loved. They then designed and built their home Belfast, ME, once again being near the ocean. She insisted on putting the player piano in the basement of the home, lowering it down with a crane before placing the modular home on top, sealing it in without any way to remove it from the basement. When she was told she would never be able to get the piano out, she said she didn’t care; it was going to stay there for life. The piano was left in the house, when she sold the home.

After Lou’s death in 2006, Pauline became a Worcester resident in a few senior living complexes in Worcester, MA. She always tried to gather up the seniors and coordinate activities for all to participate to stay active. She even got permission to install a bocce court at one of the facilities. She would then coordinate weekly bocce games for all the seniors.

She had a heart for worship of many faiths. Growing up as a child of a Protestant faith, then converting to Catholicism in 1949 for her marriage and life with Jerry. She then shared her faith attending Liberty Church in Worcester MA, where she was an active member. Her friend, Pastor Will, called her “one of God's Warriors”. In addition, she participated in ministries for the Homeless Outreach Dinners.

As a grandmother, she had a love for crafting, crocheting and painting and it brought her great joy to share these with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Pauline led a long, full, and active life with her family. She was loved by many neighbors and friends, and will be so missed by all. We are grateful that she may now rest in peace.

She is survived by Gerald & Carol Gambone, Stephen Gambone & Elizabeth Maki, Michael & Candi Gambone, Deborah Gambone & Robert Piermarini, Denise Gambone, Jimmy & Kate Gambone, Joseph & Alfonso Gambone, Peter Gambone & Linda Maciel, along with 2 stepchildren, William Piso and Frank Piso, her cherished 18 grandchildren, 25 great grandchildren, 1 great-great-grandchild, as well as several nieces and nephews.

Sadly, Pauline was pre-deceased by her two husbands, S. Gerald Gambone and Louis J. Piso, her two siblings, Mildred A. Capello and Paul W. Perry, along with two grandchildren, Francesca Pauline Gambone and Justin Tyler Gambone.

Calling hour will begin at 10am on February 26, 2026, with the funeral service to follow at 11am, both at Mercadante Funeral Home & Chapel, 370 Plantation Street, Worcester. After services, Pauline will be laid to rest in St. Stephen’s Cemetery, Framingham.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in Pauline’s memory to the Worcester Animal Rescue League, 139 Holden St. Worcester, MA 01606.