Lauryn E. Ossola

SOUTHINGTON - Lauryn E. Ossola, born in New Haven on March 7, 1988, beloved daughter of Lisa Ossola and Jerry Nickodemski, and the cherished sister of Ellen Ossola, passed away in a tragic accident in Bryn Mawr, Pa., late Saturday night, Oct. 22, 2011.

Lauryn was a 2006 Southington High School alumna, graduating fifth in her class. She was a four-year member of the Girls Swimming and Diving team, serving as a captain in her senior year. She was also a member of the YMCA Stingrays Swim Team for many, many years. At SHS she was a member of The National Honor Society and The Interact Club where she especially loved working for the Every Dollar Feeds Kids program. She worked on several community service projects, a passion she would pursue for the rest of her life. She spent her high school summers lifeguarding at Mountain Grove Club and the town parks.

Lauryn was a presidential scholar recipient and graduated cum laude from Villanova University in 2010 with a major in Economics, minors in Finance and Math, as well as a concentration in the honors program. She was a four-year member of the Chi Omega Sorority, holding several positions, culminating as the campus chapter's president in her senior year. She represented the chapter at national events on several occasions. Lauryn's proudest moments at VU centered on her community service projects. She travelled to Ecuador on a mission trip. She led the funding efforts for Chi Omega's annual "Make A Wish" Drive, sending children with terminal illnesses to Disney World, the Superbowl, and Broadway in New York. She actively participated in Villanova's Day of Service campaign, she was a member of VU's Blue Key Club, The Ambassador's Program, and served on the school's Student Government Association. After graduation, Lauryn accepted an offer from PNC and relocated to their headquarters in Pittsburgh to work as an analyst in the company's Global Treasury Management department. She made close friends quickly and excelled at work. She loved having her family, hometown friends, and friends from VU visit and meet her new friends in Pittsburgh.

Lauryn was a source of laughter, joy, and compassion for everyone she met. Her passion was her love for all of her family and her many friends. She loved life and had many overlapping circles of friends, many consisting of lifelong relationships. Her return trips to Southington were always filled with dinners with family and friends, plans to catch up with friends in surrounding areas, and a steady stream of visitors to the house. She always made time for everyone.

Lauryn leaves behind too many loved ones, family, and friends to list. In addition to her mother, father, and sister, she leaves behind her beloved grandmother, Elizabeth Ossola, of Meriden; grandparents Bill and Alta Nickodemski, of Meriden; aunts and uncles, Barbara Simmons, Madeline Martone, Paul Ossola, Bill Nickodemski, Debbie DeCarlo; and countless cherished cousins, neighbors, and friends from Southington; the Villanova community; and Pittsburgh area.

The funeral will be held Friday 10 a.m. at St. Thomas Church, 99 Bristol St., Southington, for a 10 a.m. Mass. Burial will be at St. Thomas Cemetery. Calling hours will be Thursday 4 to 8 p.m. at the DellaVecchia Funeral Home, 211 N. Main St., Southington. Donations in memory of Lauryn can be made to The Father Ray Jackson Memorial Fund, c/o Villanova University, 800 E. Lancaster Ave., Villanova, PA 19085. For online condolences and directions please visit www.dellavecchiafh.com