Viola was born at Maine Eye and Ear Infirmary on Feb 22 1923, daughter of Rosina (Arpaia) Aliberti and Antonio Aliberti. She resided on Deer Street and was educated in Portland grammar schools. She graduated from Portland High School in 1941 to pursue a career in nursing at Maine Eye and Ear Hospital, earning her diploma in Nursing.
Viola entered the Army Nurse Corps in 1941. She served in WW II as a second Lieutenant and was stationed in Las Vegas Nevada until her discharge in 1946. Upon returning home to Portland, Viola married her grammar school sweetheart Joseph B. Palmacci of Cotton Street. They were married for 30 years before his death in 1976 at age 53. They resided at 96 Hartley St. where they raised five children. Following his death, Viola moved to Yarmouth Maine where she resided happily for 40 years. She loved her family, her friends, her patients, the nursing community and the military community. Her calling, her passion and her joy truly was living a life of service to others. Those who were fortunate to be on the receiving end of “Vi’s service to others, or at her side as a colleague, understood the love and compassion that came with her genuine unconditional caring.
She was a member of the Italian Heritage Club, YMCA, VFW Post, American Legion, Sacred Heart Church in Yarmouth Maine, Yarmouth Historical Society and The Maine Eye and Ear Alumni Organization. Viola viewed volunteer work as a true source of joy and fulfillment and donated countless hours as a volunteer to several community organizations including USM School of Nursing, Good
Cause Thrift Shop, Sacred Heart Church and the Yarmouth Woman’s Health Council.
Viola was a true inspiration and advocate for young woman interested in pursuing a career in
nursing and founded the Viola Palmacci University of Southern Maine nursing scholarship fund in support
of aspiring nurses. She was a pioneer for the advancement of nursing in the state of Maine and was in the first graduating class of Family Nurse Practitioners and served in that role as the manager of Student
Health Services at the Univ. of Southern Maine from 1963 to 1989. She concurrently served as
the Cardiac Rehabilitation nurse for the Heart-Line program as well as the Cardiac Rehabilitation nurse for the Life-Line program. Viola was employed as a full time staff nurse at the Maine Medical Center from 1956 until joining the University of Southern Maine at which time she continued in a part time capacity in the Intensive Care nursery.
Vi’s lifetime professional and community service awards were many but she was most proud of her 1994
Jefferson Award for Public Service as well as the Maine Woman’s Fund Award for transforming the lives
of women and girls. Viola will be best remembered for love of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, her love of nursing, her joy in having had the privilege to serve her country and most
importantly her faith which was manifested in the countless lives she was able to touch through service to others.
Viola is survived by her four children, Gina Stokes and her husband David of Yarmouth, JoAnn Palmacci and David Pepin of Wells, Jed Palmacci and his wife Bonnie Palmacci of Park City, Utah and Gregory Palmacci of Raymond.She is also survived by her 15 grandchildren David Stokes Jr. and his wife Ninette of Yarmouth, Jessica Stokes of Yarmouth, Zachary Johnson and wife Arin Montgomery of Baltimore MD.,Charles Benjamin Johnson and wife Stephanie of Portland, Marshall Johnson and wife Kelly Kirshner, Cassie Palmacci Ballinger and husband Wesley of LasVegas, Nevada, Siena Palmacci of Salt Lake City Utah, Erika Spera and husband Jim of Houston TX., Alyssa Palmacci of Portland, Nicholas Palmacci Dallas TX, Chelsea Johnson of NY, NY, Brandon Castillo and wife Monica of Sacramento Ca,
Alexander Weisgerber and husband Will of Sacramento Ca, Ryan Castillo Sacramento Ca. She is also survived by 11 great-grandchildren.
Besides her husband Joseph “Buster” Palmacci, she was predeceased by her son Craig Palmacci
and her granddaughters Tammi Lynn Stokes and Reyna Castillo, her brothers Alfonso Aliberti, Henry Aliberti, John Aliberti, Joe Aliberti, Warren Aliberti and sisters Florence Terroni and Mary Aliberti.
Visiting hours will held from 4-7 pm on Tuesday, April 20, 2021, at Lindquist Funeral Home, 1 Mayberry Lane, Yarmouth. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 am on Wednesday, April 21st, at Holy Martyrs Church, 266 Foreside Rd., Falmouth. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery in South Portland.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Viola Palmacci Nursing Scholarship Fund at the University of Southern Maine, 96 Falmouth St. Portland, ME 04103.
Please visit www.lindquistfuneralhome.com to sign Viola’s online guest book.
