Ornella DiPietro, a longtime resident of Swampscott, died peacefully at home on Friday, August 14, 2026 with her family around her. She was 86.
She was born on December 12, 1939 in Capistrello, Italy, the daughter of Nereo and Genoveffa (Dichristoforo) Salustri, and at 16 sailed with her family to Ellis Island aboard the Christopher Columbus. After a start in West Roxbury she settled in Swampscott and worked in Boston factories, where she was known as the fastest stitcher on the floor. Her family opened Ornella’s Sub Shop in Swampscott, later Big Blue Pizza, and she carried that drive into business ventures of her own. She cooked for everyone, kept her Italian traditions and her American town in equal measure, and made people feel at home. Her husband, Domenico DiPietro, died before her.
She leaves her children, Marilena DiPietro and Nino DiPietro, both of Swampscott; her grandson, Evan DiPietro, the son of Nino and Erica, whom she called her Sunshine; her siblings, Ninetta Croce, Vanda Stati, Mauro Salustri, Maria Difilippo and Ivana Mongiello; her brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Nello and Elite Demarco; and many nieces and nephews. Her siblings Angelo, Augostino and Sergio Salustri, Liliana Ciciotti and Tecla Caracino also died before her.
Visiting hours are Tuesday, August 18 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Solimine Funeral Home, 67 Ocean Street, Lynn. A funeral Mass is Wednesday, August 19 at 10 a.m. at St. John the Evangelist, 174 Humphrey Street, Swampscott; mourners gather at the funeral home at 8:45. The family asks that donations go to a local food bank, in keeping with her love of feeding people.
Compiled from information published by Solimine Funeral Homes. Photograph courtesy of the family via Solimine Funeral Homes. This is our own summary, not the family’s obituary; read the full obituary and leave a condolence at the funeral home’s page on Legacy.com. Corrections: we will fix any error promptly.
