Frank James Scharaffa (June 27, 1943 - September 4, 2026)

Frank J. Scharaffa (1943 - 2026), of Melrose, passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family on Friday, September 4, 2026, merely a few hours before the 6th anniversary of the passing of his beloved wife, who, no doubt, was there to guide him to the ever after. Beloved son of the late Francis and Elvira (Volpe) Scharaffa. Devoted husband for almost 50 years to the late Mary Lee Scharaffa (Josserand). Adoring father of Marc Scharaffa and wife Donna of Wakefield, Marie Scharaffa and husband-to-be Andrew Rutkowsky of Melrose, and Lia Scharaffa and husband Mathew Pelrine of Middleton. Cherished grandfather of MaKayla, Giuliana, Julian, and Violet. Also survived by his many loving nieces and nephews.

Frank was born in Boston and grew up in East Boston, where he met and immediately fell in love with the love of his life, Mary Lee, when they were just 17 and 15 years old, respectively. They were married 10 years later and had 3 children together - Marc, Marie, and Lia. They shared many wonderful years together during which they enjoyed family outings to the North End in Boston for pizza, long walks through Melrose, swimming in their pool, and summer family camping trips in the White Mountains along the Kancamagus Highway in New Hampshire. Unfortunately, Mary Lee developed early-onset dementia, which she battled for 20 years until her passing in 2020. Devoted to the core, Frank cared for her at home for the entire length of her illness.

Frank was a Commissioner at the Massachusetts Appellate Tax Board, where he served as an administrative law judge. During his time there, he co-authored and edited the book, Massachusetts Taxation and DOR Practice: A Guide to Collections, Audits, Abatements, and Appeals - the primary legal guide for handling state tax audits, abatements, and appeals in MA. In conjunction, he was a professor of federal tax law at the New England School of Law, where he was known to be much beloved and respected by his students. Earlier, he served as Chief Tax Counsel for the Massachusetts Department of Revenue and also was Assistant Attorney General for the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office. In addition to his work achievements, his military experience included serving as a Lieutenant Colonel for the U.S. Army Reserve.

Frank was known for his charisma, humor, intelligence, and big personality. He had a quick wit and a loud, infectious laugh, which his children say could be heard down the street. No matter his accomplishments, he remained humble, never flaunted his achievements, and always loved his family above all else. He was especially admired by others because of the love and devotion he showed to his wife through two decades of caregiving. He will be sorely missed by all those who knew and loved him, especially his children, who, despite sometimes scoffing at his advice, often said in the end, "It looks like dad was right."

Visiting hours will be held on Monday, September 14, 2026 from 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM at the Gately Funeral Home, 79 W. Foster Street, Melrose. A Mass Of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, September 15, 2026 at 10:00 AM at St. Patrick's Church, 71 Central Street, Stoneham. Interment will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery, 175 Broadway, Malden. Family & Friend's respectfully invited to attend.

In lieu of flowers, please help fight dementia and Alzheimer's Disease by donating to Cure Alzheimer's Fund at curealz.org. 100% of your gift supports their research efforts. Thank you so much.