Mariellen Puccio

Mariellen (Staples) Puccio, age 61, passed away on April 20, 2019 at Naples Community Hospital in the company of her best friend and soulmate, Sue Starr, and her daughter Diana Young. She was the daughter of John Staples and Norma (Martucelli) Staples. Mariellen, known to her friends and family as Mai, was born on May 21, 1957 in Quincy, Massachusetts.  She was a graduate of Bennington College in Vermont, where she received her bachelor’s degree in Acting.  She continued to perform locally and was an active participant in both the Naples Players, Island Theatre Company, and the Marco Island Players. Some of her recent and favorite roles include Violet Weston in August Osage County, The Wicked Witch in The Wizard of Oz, and Dottie in The Savannah Sipping Society. Mai led a full and active life. She was a Jazzercise instructor for many years in both New York and Massachusetts and was known for her exuberant and humor-filled classes.  She also enjoyed singing and dancing, especially during karaoke and with her family in one of their many impromptu dance parties. She was an avid Boston sports fan and enjoyed attending Red Sox spring training games in Fort Myers or watching a game with friends at her favorite restaurant, Foxboro Sports Tavern. Some of her other hobbies include gardening and reading, both of which she imparted to her daughter. More than anything Mai loved her family.  She is survived by her best friend and soulmate, Sue Starr; her daughter, Diana, and her husband Bryan Young; her four sisters Dina Gleason, Diane Evans, Jennifer Staples and her wife Annette Crisafulli, and Suzanne Staples; her nieces Hannah Evans and Kaeley and her husband Austin Kunze; and her rescue dog Frankie. Mai’s family will host a celebration of her life in June in Naples, FL, to allow friends and family both near and far an opportunity to remember and honor Mai.
"A celebration of Mai's life will be held at Foxboro Sports Tavern on June 22 at 1pm."In lieu of flowers, donations in Mai’s memory may be made to the Pulmonary Hypertension Association research fund https://phassociation.org/donate/ or to Brooke’s Legacy Animal Rescue, where they rescued their two pups, Moki Joe and Frankie.

https://www.brookeslegacyanimalrescue.org/support-us. Please include a note; "In memory of Mai Puccio", and list Suzanne Staples as the person to be notified; 22 Howlands Lane Kingston, MA 02364.