Pearl Marie Messana, lovingly known as Nina to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, passed away peacefully on August 16, 2026, at Countryside Healthcare surrounded by the love and memories of the family and friends who meant so much to her. She was 101 years old.

Pearl was born on March 10, 1925, in Newark, New Jersey. As a child, she moved with her family to Fall River, Massachusetts, where she grew up. She later moved to Framingham, where she and the love of her life, Joseph Messana, raised their family. Pearl and Joseph shared 59 years of marriage until his passing in October 2006.

Pearl was one of those special people who seemed to make friends wherever she went. Everyone loved Pearl, and throughout her long and beautiful life, she was surrounded by friendships and connections that lasted through the years. She spent many years waitressing at La Cantina and Ken’s Steak House, where she met countless people and became a familiar and beloved face. After retiring, Pearl and Joseph enjoyed time in Florida before she eventually returned to Massachusetts.

In her later years at Countryside Healthcare, Pearl continued to bring that same warmth and spirit to those around her. She served as President of the Patient Association, a reflection of the natural leadership, kindness, and community she brought wherever she lived. She enjoyed arts and crafts, trivia, spending time with her many friends, and she was a devoted Red Sox fan who would never miss a game on television.

To her family, though, Pearl was simply Nina—a beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Nina and Papa were famous for hosting large family Christmas celebrations, filling their home with family, laughter, food, and memories that have remained with their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren long after those Christmases ended. Those gatherings were a reflection of what mattered most to Pearl: having the people she loved together.

Pearl is survived by her daughters, Barbara Bradbury and her husband Greg of Milford; Janice Boyko and her husband Tolly of Mashpee; and Joann Nalewanski and her husband Ed of Florida.

She leaves behind grandchildren Alyssa Hills and her husband Chris, Sara Bradbury, Julia Giancola and her husband David, Nicole Lavoie and her husband Lance, and Joe Nalewanski and his fiancée Morgan; and great-grandchildren Nicholas Baptista and his wife Kelly, Ava and Owen Hills, Jake and Josh Giancola, Brayden and Emma Larson and Quinn Lavoie. She was especially looking forward to welcoming her first great-great-grandchild, due in November, the baby of Nicholas and Kelly.

She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Joseph Messana, and her brother, John Morotti.

Pearl leaves behind a family blessed not only by the years she shared with them, but by the love, laughter, traditions, and memories she created along the way. She will be remembered for her warm heart, her friendships, her love of family, her sense of community, and the joy she found in bringing people together.

Her family will miss her deeply, but the spirit of Nina and Papa's Christmases, the stories shared around the table, and the many memories created over 101 remarkable years will live on for generations to come.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated Thursday, August 20th at 11 AM at St John the Evangelist Parish, 20 Church St., Hopkinton, MA. Burial will follow at St. Tarcisius Cemetery 180 Winthrop St., Framingham, MA. Visiting hours will be held on Thursday, prior to the Mass from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM at the Matarese Funeral Home, 325 Main St., Ashland.

Rest peacefully, Nina. You were loved by so many, and you will never be forgotten.