Arlene was the daughter of Oscar L Vandiford and Katherine M (Malone) Vandiford, born at Fort Devens in Shirley, MA during the World War II era. She grew up in Worcester, MA with her siblings; Larry, Philip and David. Tragically, David, who was born in 1955, was killed while sledding on Hamilton ST, Worcester, in 1962 at the age of 6. This had a profound effect on her life. Her other brother, Philip, was born with Down's Syndrome and was reliant on others for 24/7 care; Philip kept the family grounded in the realities of life and how God can test our ability to take on many burdens. Arlene married Frank R Albrizio, of Worcester, MA in 1965 and had three children, Frank R Albrizio, Jr., Steven J. Albrizio, David B. Albrizio. A fourth son, Joseph Bertine, was born to Arlene's second husband, who shared the same name, Joseph Bertine. Arlene battled mental health issues most of her adult life; her valiant struggles against the insidious effects of depression and bipolar disorder challenged Arlene each and every day of her life. Although she sought aggressive help in psychiatry to lessen her psychiatric symptoms (medicaiton management and ongoing therapy), eventually with age she became increasingly less tolerant and less responsive to medications that once proved successul. Attempts to try new medications failed to provide any significant relief. In the Summer of 1993 Arlene left Massachusetts, her husband in Oxford, MA (Ira Estabrook) with whom she was married to (third husband( for almost twenty years) and settled in her father Oscar's birthplace, North Carolina to escape some the stressors of New England. However, her husband did pursue her in NC and brought her back, with a struggle, and things just did not ever stabilize. On Wednesday, December 22, 1993, Arlene was found in her Oxford, MA home bed, a bullet through the her head, dead. A suicide note was taped to the wall/bed behind her explaining the reason for her action. Her death stunned her four children, mother and remaining family and friends. She had completed her intentions and remains greatly missed. She remains greatly missed. - Frank Albrizio, On Historic Crown Hill Worcester, MA 01609