by Neil W. McCabe

Martin Polignone Sr., a veteran honored by the mayor and board of aldermen in February died of natural causes in his sleep, surrounded by his family Sunday at 7 p.m. at Cambridge Hospital after a month-long struggle with pneumonia.

“My father was so grateful to Aldermen Billy Roche and Dennis Sullivan and the mayor for recognizing his service in World War II,” said Martin Polignone Jr., who provides free notary services to senior citizens because he saw the trouble his own parents had during his father’s illness.

His father was a combat veteran who saw action in France and Germany, he said.

“I also want to thank Frank Senesi, the head of the veterans office. Frank arranged for my father to ride on the trolley car in the Memorial Day parade,” he said.

“It was the day of his life. He was so grateful to everyone along the way who thanked him and smiled to him. He never heard so many thank you’s for what he did in the war,” he said.

“I also want to thank the Somerville Fire Department, the paramedics from Cataldo Ambulance and the doctors and nurses at Cambridge Hospital. Everyone was so good to him,” he said.

“We were all with him when he died, and he just was too weak to carry on, so it was a blessing. He loved Somerville and it was greeat that he would be recognized in such ways in the last year of his life,” he said.

In additon to his son, Polignone is survived by his wife, Jennie Polignone and his uncle Rev. Joseph Messanotte of Hoboken, N.J., he said.

Viewing will be Wednesday from Noon to 1:30 p.m. at De Vito Funeral Home 761 Mount Auburn St. in Watertown, followed immediately by burial at Belmont Cemetery, he said.

After his retirement from the state and, his son said his father found a job at Boston College, so father and son could spend more time while the son studied for his degree, he said.

The family request that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to:

James A. Woods, S.J., College of Advancing Studies
Boston College
McGuinn Hall, Room 100
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467