Maria Rosa Fiorentino OTR, FAOTA (1917 - 1986)

Born 17 May 1917 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States

Died 29 Dec 1986 at age 69 in Hartford, Connecticut

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Biography

Mary Fiorentino OTR, FAOTA is Notable.

Maria Rosa Fiorentino was born on 17 May 1917 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts to Frank Salvatore Florentino [b 1870 Italy] and Caroline Celia [1892 Italy].^[1][2][3]

In 1930, Mary age 13, was living with her parents, Salvatore and Caroline Fiorentino in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States. Her siblings, Ella, age 17' Domenic, age 14; and Nicholas, age 9.^[1][2]

In 1944, Mary R. Fiorentino received a Bachelor of Music from Boston University Sargent College.^[4] "She graduated from Boston University in 1947 and from Tufts University Medical School in 1951."^[5]

Legacy

Mary never married, ^[1] but rather devoted her time to her work with children with cerebral palsy and other developmental disabilities. She studied and wrote about how primitive reflexes influcence childrens' development. Based on her work, occupational therapists began to use a developmental approach to working wth children with cerebral palsy and other developmental disabilities. She was made a fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association and in 1974, awarded its highest honor, the Eleanor Clarke Slagel Lecturureship/Award.^[6][5]

Some of the books Mary authored were:

• A Basis for Sensoimotor Development - Normal and Abnormal - The Influence of Postural Reflexes on the Development and Distribution of Tone copyright 1981
• Normal and Abnormal Development - The Influcence of Primitive Reflexes on Motor Development copyright 1972
• Reflex Testing Methods for Evaluating C.N.S. Development, copyright 1963-1981' (First printing 1961 through the 2nd Edition, 9th printing, 1981)

Her books were translated into 7 languages. ^[5]

Miss Fiorentino worked for 35 years at Newington Children's Hospital in Newington, Connecticut. Here she served for many years as the Director of Occupational Therapy at Newington, Children's Hospital in Newington, Connecticut, a position she held until her death.^[1][7]

Death

Mary Fiorentino, OTR, FAOTA passed away on 29 December 1986 in Hartford, Connecticut.^[1]

Mary is buried at the Melrose Cemetery in Brockton, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, USA. She shares a stone with her parents, Frank S. Fiorentino, Carolina Fiorentino and a sister, Raffaella "Ella" Fiorentino.^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4} Family Search. Connecticut Death Index, 1949-2001 Mary Fiorentino, 29 Dec 1986; from "Connecticut Death Index, 1949-2001," database, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2003); citing Hartford, , Connecticut, Connecticut Department of Health, Hartfort.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Family Search. United States Census, 1930 household of Salvatore Frorentino, Boston (Districts 1-250), Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 2, sheet 4A, line 50, family 62, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 941; FHL microfilm 2,340,676.
3. ↑ Family Search. Massachusetts State Vital Records, 1841-1920 Maria Rosa Fiorentino, 17 May 1917; citing Birth, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States, certificate number 7520, page 188, State Archives, Boston.
4. ↑ Newspapers. com The Boston Globe Boston, Massachusetts 22 May 1944, Mon • Page 5
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2} Newspapers.com The Boston Globe Boston, Massachusetts, 2 Jan 1987, Fri • Page 23
6. ↑ American Occupational Therapy Association. 100 Influential People accessed 14 June 2021
7. ↑ Her postion is listed in the books she authored.
8. ↑ Idreamofgenes. Find Grave Memorial for Mary Fiorentino #178496612