OBITUARY: Betty M. (Niles) Parisi, 66, of Salem

SALEM, MA — Betty M. (Niles) Parisi, of Salem, wife of Neil J. Parisi, passed away at home on January 5, 2017. Born July 6, 1950 to the late Gerard and Patricia (Keefe) Niles, Betty was raised and educated in Newburyport, graduating from Newburyport High School, Class 1968 and from Merrimack College, magna cum laude, Class of 1972. Neil and Betty married in 1973. When they started their family, Betty left her teaching career to be a stay at home mom and later reentered the workforce in a variety of positions: middle school teacher at St. Mary’s Star of the Sea School in Beverly, historical interpreter at the House of Seven Gables and as an office manager at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Beverly.

Betty supported and volunteered in a number of community and church activities including CCD instruction at St. John the Evangelist in Beverly and bell ringing for St. Anne choir in Salem. Additionally, Betty was a talented artist and illustrator of children’s books. She was a member of the Salem and Swampscott Arts Association and a participant in the Marblehead Arts Festival. She also enjoyed swimming, walking, and hiking as well as playing board games, especially Scrabble.

Betty is survived by her husband Neil J. Parisi; her two sons, Michael J. Parisi of Fort Worth, TX and Aric T. Parisi and his partner Priscilla King of Beverly; her two granddaughters Emily and Gwendolyn Parisi and their mother Stacy Parisi of York, ME; her sister Julie Niles and her partner Stephen Swochak of Salisbury; her sister Nancy Fowler of Plaistow, NH; her brother Jack Niles and his wife Laura of Lowell; six nieces, two nephews and an extended family of relatives and friends. Betty was predeceased by her daughter Trisha M. Parisi who passed in April of 1995.

Visiting hours will be held on Friday January 13, 2017 from 4:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. at the Murphy Funeral Home, 85 Federal St., (corner of North St) Salem A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday January 14, 2017 at 10:00 A.M at St. Anne Church, Jefferson Avenue, Salem. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. For those who wish, memorial contributions may be made to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, c/o Ste. Anne Church, 290 Jefferson Ave., Salem, MA 01970 or to The Salem Pantry, PO Box 295, Salem, MA 01970. For additional information or online guest book please visit www.MurphyFuneralHome.com or call 978 744 0497.

Obituary and photo courtesy of the Murphy Funeral Home.