Lillian Rose Palladino Mericantante
By Ron Hayes
BOCA RATON — When Father John Mericantante, pastor of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Pahokee, was told that the $1 million he’d raised was not enough to start construction on a new church, his mother stepped in.
“My mom got on the phone, and her friends sent me another million,” Father John recalled. “She had good friends.” And so a new St. Mary’s is under construction and scheduled to open in June. A statue titled Prayer, also donated by his mother, will grace the entrance to the mission-style church.
Mrs. Mericantante died Feb. 29. She was 93 and had lived at La Fontana condominium for 22 years.
“She was a very elegant lady, and very sincere and very frank,” recalled her son. “She would tell you exactly what she thought and you had to deal with it.”
Lillian Rose Palladino Mericantante was born in Boston on Sept. 14, 1918, the first daughter of Joseph and Mary Palladino, who owned the city’s famed Latin Quarter nightclub.
In fourth grade, she met John Mericantante Jr., who would become the love of her life and her husband of 48 years.
In Winchester, Mass., where Mr. Mericantante was an executive with the Ford Motor Co., Mrs. Mericantante played tennis and bocce at the Medford Boat Club.
The couple retired to Florida in 1980 and, after 10 years in Fort Lauderdale, moved to Boca Raton.
In addition to her son, she is survived by three daughters, Diana LaMarca, of Boca Raton; Dr. Debra Anzalone, of Lighthouse Point; and Lillian Simeone; five grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 1200 E. Main St., Pahokee, FL 33476.
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