Queenie “Ducky” Antonucci

Queenie “Ducky” (Parigian) Antonucci was a gentle and kind soul who brought so much goodness into the world.  She had a love of life and lived each day with a remarkable zest.  She passed away peacefully on Wednesday, November 1, 2023 at 99 ½ years young.

As a mother, she was devoted and loving, teaching her children by example the importance of being kind to others, whether it’s a friend, neighbor, stranger or the animals that lived in the back yard.  She had a quiet, but deep spirituality, which guided how she lived her life every day.

Queenie was vivacious and lived a very full and active life, teaching beginner figure skating, taking ice dancing lessons, giving her time to the Armenian church, and cooking amazing dishes. She had a great sense of humor and made everyone laugh with her funny jokes and terrific accents. Even at 99, she continued to find joy in life, spending summers in Maine, sitting by Sebago Lake during the day and enjoying a dinner with family and friends at night -- often followed by playing a mean game of Rummikub.

Born in Boston, MA in 1924, Queenie was first-generation born to Stella Papazian and Sarkis Parigian, who immigrated to America from Armenia. Extremely proud of her Armenian heritage, Queenie was devoted to her church, the Holy Trinity Armenian Church of Cambridge, and was active there for decades, serving in many capacities for the Women’s Guild, and always lending a hand for mailings and events.

Ahead of her time as a young woman, Queenie went to night school in Boston learning to type mathematical equations so she could become a technical secretary.  She worked for MIT Radiation Lab, starting as a messenger and working her way up to technical secretary.  This took her to a job in Washington D.C., where she enjoyed living for three years. When she returned, she worked as a technical secretary at Godfrey L. Cabot.

Queenie ice skated every Thursday and decided to skip one night because she hurt her knee.  She went bowling instead with her best “chums.” That fateful decision led her to meet her future husband, Joe. They married on April 1, 1951 and bowled every Thursday night for decades.

She figure skated for years and helped to found the Stoneham Figure Skating Club.  There, she taught group beginner classes, including one very famous student, Nancy Kerrigan. As she aged and decided to give up teaching, she worked as a proctor at the club, playing music for the students as they practiced their routines.

Queenie is survived by her husband Joseph Antonucci of 72 years; her three children, Paul Antonucci of Steamboat Springs, CO, Bob Antonucci and his wife Ellen of Reading, and Laura Feng and her husband David of Newburyport, and three grandchildren, Bobby Antonucci, and Matt and Bella Feng. She was predeceased by her sister, Margaret Tungate and her late husband Herbert. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to gather during Visiting Hours at the Robinson Funeral Home, 809 Main St., Melrose, on Monday, Nov. 6 from 4-7pm, and for her Funeral Service at the Holy Trinity Armenian Church, 145 Brattle St., Cambridge on Tuesday, Nov. 7 at 10:00am. Interment in Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett.

If you wish, donations in memory of Queenie may be made to Holy Trinity Armenian Church via the online link here.