Aldo A. Caira papers

Aldo Anthony Caira was born on January 28, 1924 in Atina, Italy in the province of Frosinone, the first child of Vincenzo and Rosa (Bove). At the age of three months he emigrated with his parents to the United States and settled in Newton, Massachusetts.

He graduated from Our Ladies High School in Newton and continued his education at Northeastern University and Curry College where he received his Bachelor of Arts Degree. Prior to his college education, he served over three years in the United States Army during World War II, completing his military service with an honorable discharge. In 1947 he arried Loretta (Laura) Bianchi and the couple had five children - Michele, Michael, Kenneth, Aldo Jr., and Kevin - and seven grandchildren.

Aldo Caira's initial involvement with the Order Sons of Italy cam in 1939 when he joined the Newton Junior Lodge. Upon his return from the service he joined the Newton Men's Lodge, Umberto Primo No. 1069. He served this lodge as its reasurer and was its first elected three term venerable.

In 1961 he was elected to the Massachusetts Grand Council as Grand Trustee. He was re-elected in 1963 and unanimously elected Grand Orator in 1965 and 1967. He was elected Grand Venerable in 1969 and re-elected by acclamation two years later.

Caira's service on the Supreme Council began with his election to the position of Second Assistant Supreme Venerable in 1975. He served two terms in this capacity before becoming First National Vice-President in 1979. At the 1981 National Convention in New Orleans, Louisiana, he was elected to a second two year term, again by acclamation, at the 1983 National Convention in Atlanta CIty, New Jersey.

In addition to his membership in the Newton Lodge, ALdo and Laura Caira, their five children and children's spuses belonged to the Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli Lodge of Wilmington, which Aldo and Laura helped organize in 1967. The Wilmington Board of Selectmen proclaimed November 20, 1983 Aldo A. Caira Day, and his home lodge honored him by naming the lodge's main function room the Aldo A. Caira Hall. Caira's son Michael became OSIA National Executive Director in 1985.

A resident of Wilmington since 1958, Caira was elected to three consecutive terms on the Board of Selectmen beginning in 1975. He served as Chairman of the Board in 1978 and again in 1979. Upon his return from the 1981 OSIA National Convention, the town of Wilmington presented him with the first ever "Key to the Town."

Aldo Caira was the recipient of a multitude of honors and awards from professional, civic, governmental, and charitable organizations. Included in those honors was the award of the Star of Solidarity in the Rank of Commendatore by the President of the Republic of Italy. Among his most important honors are the National Foundation March of Dimes "Countless Hours of Service" award and the "Man of the Year" designation by the Friends of Fernald, a citizen group affilitaed with the Fernald State School for the mentally retarded.

Among his numerous past and current affiliations are directorships of the Verrazzano Institute Board of Governors, the Don Orione Advisory Board, and the National Italian American Foundation. He is a trustee of the New England Center for Italian Studies and is a member of the Boston University Advisory Council for Interdisciplinary Italian Studies. He is also honorary national chairman of the fund drive for the Don Orione Madonna Queen National Shrine.

Caira and his family were members of the St. Thomas of Villanova parish in Wilmington. He held membership in the Wilmington Knights of Columbus and was an elected member of the Wilmington Democratic Town Committee.

Aldo Caira was employed as the Assistant Superintendent (Administrator) of Tewksbury Hospital, the largest state public health facility in the Commonwealth.