Nicoletta Dell'Olio

Nicoletta Dell'Olio
Nicoletta Dell'Olio, also known as Tina, was a longtime resident of Trumbull and lived out her last years in Oxford. She passed away on October 4. She would have celebrated her 92nd birthday on November 1. She was predeceased by her husband of 58 years.
Born in Bisceglie, Bari, Italy, she was the daughter of Francesco and Maria Di Bitetto. Her deep and abiding faith carried her through losing her parents at the age of six. She was raised by her cousin, Antonietta Mastrototaro. Ever a storyteller, she told tales of her life in Italy and her fairytale romance with Orazio. Her stories are the basis of the book, "Letters from Italy: A Transatlantic Love Story", which is framed by the love letters she and Orazio wrote to each other. After two years of letters, Nicoletta married the love of her life, Orazio Dell'Olio, and immigrated to New York City in 1952.
She was a skilled dressmaker who worked in the garment district of New York City and Norman Dress Company in Bridgeport, CT. She was an active member of St. Theresa Church for over thirty years. Nicoletta shared her faith and optimism with all whom she encountered.
Tina was an avid gardener with a green thumb who passed on her love of nurturing all growing things to her children. She was the matriarch of the family, whose cooking became the anchor for all family gatherings. Her pasta sauce, focaccia and stuffed breads were the envy of all who knew her.
After the kids were established in their own lives, Tina and Larry took to seeing the world in numerous passages back to their homeland, sharing their love of their hometown with their children. Tina and Larry wintered in San Francisco for many years, enjoying the sights and weather of the West Coast.
She is survived by her four children, Annette Tremallo and son-in-law Wayne; Franco Dell'Olio and daughter-in-law, Kathleen Gallagher; Maria Roberts and son-in-law, David; Mario Dell'Olio and son-in-law, James Alexander; grandchildren, Cristina Roberts Hewes, her husband Charley Hewes, and their two children, Jackson and Adelyn; Matthew Roberts, and his wife Brenna, and their daughter Gemma.
Friends and family are invited to calling hours 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Monday, October 9, at the Spadaccino and Leo P. Gallagher & Son Community Funeral Home, 315 Monroe Turnpike, Monroe, CT. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, October 10, St. Margaret Shrine, at 2523 Park Avenue, Bridgeport, CT. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.spadaccinofuneralhome.com for the Dell'Olio family.