Gloucester Rotary Club loses a “Giant” Rudy Macchi
Posted by Josh Arnold edited by David Olson
on Apr 01, 2016
On Friday, April 1, 2016, the community of Gloucester celebrated the funeral mass of one of its “giant” civic leaders, Rudy Macchi. Rudy, a member of the Gloucester Rotary Club for 40 years, serving as past President, past Assistant Governor, and Paul Harris Fellow, passed away on Monday, March 28, 2016.His contributions as a civic leader were vast as was his kindness and generosity toward others. Gloucester Rotarian and past Executive Director of the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce, Mike Costello offered words of remembrance at the funeral Mass celebrated at Holy Family Parish, where Rudy served as a member of the Finance Committee and had accompanied the church’s pastor on a pilgrimage to Italy this past Fall.
Costello remembered Rudy Macchi as a kind man who was known by many as a character and a jokester, yet was also quick to roll up his sleeves and climb into the trenches to get something done. He exhibited the mantle of leadership for many organizations, and was a giant among local leaders.
Macchi was given the Distinguished Service Award and a Paul Harris Medal by the Gloucester Rotary, was honored as a past President of the Chamber of Commerce, and was awarded a Small Businessman of the Year by the chamber. He was given a Community Hero Award by the local chapter of the American Red Cross and received awards and recognition from many other organizations in which he served. On Thursday March 31, 2016 The American Red Cross Heroes Breakfast honored Rudy Macchi with a moment of silence for his lifetime of humanitarian work.
Members of the Gloucester Rotary Club and Rotarians from other communities formed an honor guard at Greeley’s Funeral Home in Gloucester on Thursday afternoon and at the church on Friday for the funeral Mass. The honor guard consisted of 40 Gloucester Rotarians, including 18 past Rotary Club presidents; it was led by Gloucester Mayor Sefatia Romeo and state Representative Ann Margaret Ferrante.
Past and current district leaders, including PDG Ingrid Brown, PDG John Hall, District Governor Nominee David Gardner and District Governor Nomineee Designee Robert Wood, Gloucester’s DG Robert Wicks, and Ipswich Club President Robert Gravino were among those in attendance for the services on Thursday and Friday.
In addition to serving in the United States Air Force and many other organizations like the North Shore United Way, Rudy was remembered for his work for more than 25 years as Santa Claus, putting smiles on the faces of thousands of children around Cape Ann and accompanying state Senator Bruce Tarr to various hospitals around the state during the Christmas holidays.
His radiant smile, his genuine caring and his demeanor, according to Costello, epitomized the notion of Service above Self. He will be missed by all who knew him and whose lives he touched wherever his life journey took him.
Members of the Gloucester Rotary Club and Rotarians from other communities formed an honor guard at Greeley’s Funeral Home in Gloucester on Thursday afternoon and at the church on Friday for the funeral Mass. The honor guard consisted of 40 Gloucester Rotarians, including 18 past Rotary Club presidents; it was led by Gloucester Mayor Sefatia Romeo and state Representative Ann Margaret Ferrante.
Past and current district leaders, including PDG Ingrid Brown, PDG John Hall, District Governor Nominee David Gardner and District Governor Nomineee Designee Robert Wood, Gloucester’s DG Robert Wicks, and Ipswich Club President Robert Gravino were among those in attendance for the services on Thursday and Friday.
In addition to serving in the United States Air Force and many other organizations like the North Shore United Way, Rudy was remembered for his work for more than 25 years as Santa Claus, putting smiles on the faces of thousands of children around Cape Ann and accompanying state Senator Bruce Tarr to various hospitals around the state during the Christmas holidays.
His radiant smile, his genuine caring and his demeanor, according to Costello, epitomized the notion of Service above Self. He will be missed by all who knew him and whose lives he touched wherever his life journey took him.