Anna M. Rizzo Filutze

Anna M. Rizzo Filutze, age 98, of North East Twp., passed away peacefully at her residence on Thursday evening, September 30, 2010. A life-long resident of North East, she was born at home on May 25, 1912. She was the last remaining sibling of the 11 children born to the late Biaggio and Antonina Constantino Rizzo. Anna was educated in the North East public school system. As a young woman she had been employed as a seasonal laborer at various fruit and grape farms. She had also been previously employed by the former Sunshine Packing Corp. and Keystone Foods,, Inc. On April 2, 1932, Anna was wed to her late husband, Samuel J. Filutze. They were married 56 years until Sam's passing on September 16, 1988. Together they raised their family of three children alongside Anna's parents and other extended family members who had lived in the Wall Street neighborhood of North East. Anna was a devoted homemaker whose loving care spanned four generations. Her home had been the center of the family's life; especially on Sundays for dinner and holiday gatherings. She was a grand Italian cook and enjoyed sharing her recipes for spaghetti sauce, homemade pizza, traditional Sicilian fig cookies and apple pie with her grandchildren. She also enjoyed putting her culinary skills to work by assisting her grandson prepare various family specialties in the kitchen of Bova's Restaurant and Pizzeria. There she helped "roll meatballs" every week well into her nineties. Anna also enjoyed traveling with her family, playing cards, bingo and was also an avid reader. She was a life-long member of St. Gregory R.C. Church. In years past, she had faithfully attended the church's Wednesday evening Novena Service in honor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by three sisters, Ida Madonia, Margaret Chimera and Angeline Ballew; seven brothers, Paul Azzarello, John, Anthony (Tobey), Cosimo, Joseph, Russell and Charles Rizzo; and two great-granddaughters, Melissa Leuschen and Lelia Taylor. Survivors include her beloved children, Josephine D. Bova (husband Dominic) of North East, Antoinette M. Presutti (husband Plas) of Millcreek Twp. and Samuel R. Filutze (wife Ann) of North East; 11 grandchildren, Karen Philip, Donald and Mary Jo Bova, Patricia Leuschen, Thomas Presutti, Lisa Sullivan, Graceann Taylor, Samuel, Christine, John and Stephen Filutze; and many great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Friends may call at the Dusckas Funeral Home, Inc., East, 2607 Buffalo Road on Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. and are invited to attend a Prayer Service there on Monday at 9:30 a.m. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Gregory R.C. Church at 10:30 a.m. Interment, St. Gregory Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Community Nursing Services of North East, 7 Park St., North East, PA 16428. To send condolences, visit www.dusckasfuneralhome.com.