Jeanette L Ytuarte

Jeanette L Ytuarte, nee DiGioia, died peacefully at age 97 in her daughter's home in Massachusetts after a brief illness. A child of Italian immigrants, she grew up in Brooklyn NY with her sister Florence and mother, Elizabeth "Nana" DiGioia. She is pre-deceased by her husband Raymond, whom she married in 1947 after he returned from service in the US Army Air Corps in WWII. They later lived in Fairfield Connecticut and Tampa, FL until Jean moved to St Petersburg FL.

After working in the New York fashion industry Jean supported her husband's career, often traveling with him and his business associates. They were great tennis enthusiasts, retiring to Florida near extended family. Jean volunteered for years at St Joseph's Hospital in Tampa and Hillsborough County Library.

She is survived by son Raymond Ytuarte, daughter Anita Ytuarte Oelkers and son-in-law Ray Oelkers, grandchildren Raymond and Katherine Ytuarte and Christopher Oelkers (Jennifer Murphy) and Ricardo Oelkers (Sara Girgis) and great-grandchildren Lucy, Atticus, Noah, Eamon, Alice, and Lucas Oelkers, and sister-in-law Norma Ytuarte.

A two-time breast cancer survivor, Jean exercised vigorously every day, and urged all those in her orbit to do the same. "What's my secret? Keep moving!" She loved her family and friends unconditionally, and was loved by many for her modern outlook, resilience, grace, and kindness. Gifts in her memory may be made to cancer survivor/athletic organizations Hope in the Boat, New York. https://www.hopeintheboat.org/support-us or

Team Survivor Tampa Bay https://www.pinkdragonladies.org/support