91788

"Riding Free and Forever"

When the people who admired Donald DiTullio think about him, some go to the distant past, some to the recent past and some to the future, but it is always with fondness. His older sister, Janice Fleming, recalled how, as a toddler, he would fix things around the house with his new wooden hammer. He hammered so hard, his indentations were left as a reminder until the home was remodeled.

His mother, Marjorie DiTullio, talks about how Mr. DiTullio, 49, a passenger on Flight 11, took good care of her, maybe even spoiled her a little. He lived in Peabody, Mass., not far from her. If she talked about something that she needed done, "It would be `Yes, mother.' It was not what he said, but the way he said it," she said.

A co-worker at Smith & Nephew, a medical device manufacturer in Andover, Mass., thinks of Mr. DiTullio, a Harley-Davidson fan, in the future. "I see you riding free and forever, wind blowing in your face, leaning into long smooth turns, spitting out the occasional bug," Sue Farnsworth wrote on a family Web page. "Your bike is chromed to the max and running perfectly, with a crank on the throttle. A deep throaty blast fills the air. Ride, Don, ride."

Profile published in THE NEW YORK TIMES on January 20, 2002.


Of Peabody, as a result of an act of terrorism on American Airlines flight #11, Sept. 11, Donald A. Beloved son of Marjorie (Whooten) of Lynn and the late Americo DiTullio. Father of Jessica DiTullio of East Fairfield, VT., and James DiTullio of Lynn. Brother of Joanna Cook of Lynn and Janice Fleming and her husband George of Atkinson, NH. Grandfather of Elizabeth Townsley of E. Fairfield, VT. Longtime companion of the late N. Janis Lasden. Also survived by several aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews. A Memorial Service will be held in Our Lady of the Assumption Church, 40 Grove St., Lynnfield, MA., Wednesday, Sept. 19 at 11:30 A.M. Late member Knights of Columbus, Valledoid Council #70, Veteran U.S. Army. Donations to the Donald DiTullio Scholarship Fund c/o Eastern Bank, 771 Salem St. Lynnfield, MA. 01940 would be appreciated.

Paid Notice published in THE BOSTON GLOBE on 9/17/2001.