Below is an obituary from Nichols Funeral Home:
WILMINGTON, MA — Carole Ann (Rice) Zampese, age 83, of Arlington, formerly of Bedford, passed away peacefully on December 18, 2025.
Carole was born on October 8, 1942, in Winchester, MA; she was the beloved daughter of the late Irving and Elizabeth (Nichols) Rice. Carole was raised and educated in Wilmington and later made Bedford, MA her longtime home before moving to Arlington.
Deeply rooted in her community, Carole was actively involved in many Bedford organizations, including Bedford Santa, the Bedford Women’s Club, Gourmet Club, and the Red Hat Club. She was a devoted member of the First Church of Christ Congregational Church of Bedford, where she also served as a Deacon.
Carole had many talents and passions. She loved sewing for herself, her children, and her home, and generously hemmed and repaired clothing for friends and their families. She took special pride in making and repairing Santa suits for the Bedford Santa program. She also found joy in cooking, gardening, and savoring a great cup of coffee.
Carole will be remembered for her kindness, generosity, creativity, and dedication to her family, faith, and community. She leaves behind a legacy of service and love that will be deeply missed by all who knew her.
Carole was a devoted mother, grandmother, sister, and friend. She is survived by her brothers, William Rice and his wife Suzi, and Elwin Rice, both of Wilmington. She was the loving mother of Carolyn Bumbaca of Merrimack, NH; Pamela DiBiase of Bedford, MA; and David Zampese and his wife Emma of Wayland, MA. She was a proud and adoring grandmother to Jacqui Bumbaca Hayes & her husband Lee Hayes, Nick Bumbaca, Andrea DiBiase, Berkeley DiBiase, Rory Zampese, Kevin Zampese, Will Zampese and great-grandmother of Gianna Hayes.
Funeral Services for Carole will be private.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Carole’s memory to Bedford Santa at: https://bedfordsanta.com/donate/
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