Leon Constantiner

Constantiner, Leon, 50, of Brookline on Sunday, September 18 after a courageous three and a half year battle with head and neck cancer. For 28 years, he was the devoted husband and partner to Gina Petruzziello. Loving son to Jeanette & the late Mariano Constantiner of Mexico City, beloved brother to Daniel & Marigel Constantiner of Cleveland and Aaron Constantiner & Marcela Bornacini of Mexico City, son-in-law to Gloria Petruzziello of Brookline, brother-in-law to Joseph Petruzziello of Brookline and Carlo & Tina Petruzziello of Carlisle, and loving uncle to Alex Constantiner and Ava Petruzziello. The family would like to express gratitude and appreciation to Dr. Charles Norris, Dr. Roy Tishler, and Dr. Robert Haddad of the Dana Farber, and to Dr. Lifei Guo, Plastics and Reconstructive Surgeon of the Brigham and Womens, for allowing Leon to be actively involved in his treatment and for respecting his endless drive to survive. To nurses Maureen Lynch, Sheila Walsh, Beth Hammerstrand, Amy Cebulski, Jo Ann Fugazzotto, Mary-Ann Case, Maureen Collins, Beverly Molinar-Griffin, and Melissa Smith, and to Elaine Burke, Speech Therapist, and Anne Chiavacci, Nutritionist, the family is eternally thankful for your selfless care. To the Brigham and Womens palliative care doctors, Dr. Kathy Selvaggi, Dr. Janet Abrahm, and Dr. Jane Thomas, and to Dr. Edgar Ross, Director of Pain Management, and the entire nursing staff at Shapiro-16, your commitment and support made the untenable bearable. Leon was defined by his love of people. His extended network of family and friends overwhelmingly committed themselves to him. To Leon, this represented a life well lived. Services at the Levine Chapels, 470 Harvard Street, Brookline on Monday, September 19 at 1pm. Interment will be at Walnut Hills Cemetery, 96 Grove Street, Brookline. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Leon’s memory to The Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Attn: Head and Neck Cancer Research, 10 Brookline Place West, 6th floor, Brookline, MA 02445, or online at www.dana-farber.org.

Levine Chapels, Brookline

617-277-8300