Adelaide Buonocore Fazzone

Adelaide Buonocore Fazzone
On July 30, 2025, Adelaide Buonocore Fazzone passed away peacefully, surrounded by her children, at the age of 93. Adelaide was born on March 11, 1932, in Bronx, New York. The fifth child of Vincent and Carlotta Buonocore, she was brought up in North Haven, Connecticut, with her seven siblings. Her parents raised her with a strong Catholic faith that became the bedrock of her life. She began life in a lovely home in New York. When she was still in grammar school, her father relocated their family to North Haven, Connecticut, to experience a more rural life. From the moment they moved to North Haven and Adelaide saw the green meadows and arbor in the back yard of her new home, her love affair with pastoral life began. She often spoke of relaxing on the swing in the shaded backyard in North Haven, surrounded by idyllic beauty, and ice skating on a frozen pond. Adelaide became an accomplished pianist, playing recitals that featured the concertos of Rachmaninoff and the other Russian Romantic composers. Her love of music remained a lifelong passion and, even in the last year of her life, she would continue to play to the joy of her children and grandchildren.
She attended high school at Lauralton Hall as a boarding student. She adored her time at Lauralton and spoke of her love of learning and the friendships she created there. She was extremely proud of the fact that she was named the outstanding student in Catholic principles while at Lauralton. After Lauralton, she attended Marymount College in Tarrytown, New York, graduating in 1954. At Marymount, she majored in Sociology and developed her passion for service to others through extensive volunteer work in the local community. She attended the Yale School of Nursing and received her master's degree in nursing in 1958. Afterwards, she became head nurse at Yale New Haven Hospital.
During nursing school, she began dating Philip Fazzone, who was in medical school at Yale. Phil lovingly called Adelaide "Adele," a nickname she embraced. On June 10, 1961, they married at Saint Barnabas Church, in North Haven, Connecticut. They moved briefly to Sausalito, CA and Charlottesville, VA, while Philip completed his medical training in Cardiology. Although they loved living in Virginia, they decided to settle their young family in Wallingford, Connecticut, to be closer to their parents and siblings. They purchased and restored an 1890s farmhouse, initiating their lifelong passion for early American architecture and antiques. They lived many happy years in Wallingford, raising their eight children: Lia, Carley, Anthony, Johanna Paul (Mom named her after two Popes!), Hilary, Vincent, Philip, Jr. and Alexander. Adelaide is remembered by her children's childhood friends as a significant guiding light. Because she possessed such a generosity of spirit, our home became a beloved gathering place for friends and family. Fall was Adelaide's favorite season, and her Halloween celebrations were legendary. On Halloween night, she created a spooky but cozy atmosphere and greeted the neighborhood kids with mugs of hot cider, ladled from a smoking caldron, and ribboned bags stuffed with full-sized candy bars.
In 1978, Phil and Adele took on the project of reconstructing an early 18th century house. When Adelaide was a child living in North Haven, she frequently rode her bicycle to Northford, Connecticut, often stopping to admire an old colonial home on a knoll. That home was the Warham Williams House, built in 1752. This became the home they later dismantled and moved to Roxbury, Connecticut and lovingly restored. While Phil was more attune with the design of the architecture, he always credited Adele with a gift for interior design. Her acute aesthetic sensibilities always gave her the ability to select beautifully proportioned antiques and to decorate their home for holiday celebrations. She took pleasure in creating a beautiful environment for family and friends. The family was welcomed by the Roxbury community and cherish the close friendships they made there. Adelaide taught Catholic religious instruction for many years for Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish.
After Phil retired, Adelaide and Phil moved to Danby, Vermont, where they had owned a home for many years.
Adelaide was predeceased by her loving husband, Dr. Philip Fazzone; her parents, Vincent and Carlotta Buonocore; her grandson, Tristan Fazzone-Chettiar and her siblings: Restituta, Ciro, Christopher, Gregory, Vincent and Laura. She leaves behind her brother, Peter; and her children and their spouses, who carry her in their hearts, always: Lia and her husband, Rob Snelling, Carley, Anthony, Johanna and her husband, Ramesh Fazzone-Chettiar, Hilary, Vincent, Philip Jr. and his wife, Jennifer, and Alexander. Adelaide leaves her twelve grandchildren, of whom she was very proud: Paige, Aidan, Aubrey, Lachlan, Cate Adele, Andrew, Makayla, Jayden, Mia, Sean, Philip III and Mariela.
Our family is grateful for all the love and support we have received since Mom's death. Our Mother was a devoted Catholic who believed deeply in the power of Immaculate Mary and the Rosary. As her children, we are grateful that she lived a long life and instilled in us the importance of family and loving God and each other. She created a beautiful environment for us and our father in our home and was a loving presence to our friends. We thank both of our parents for showing us what a beautiful, mutually supportive marriage is through their daily example and obvious devotion to each other. We are indebted to our mom for teaching us that to be kind is paramount. We are grateful for her gift of making deep connections with people, whether it was someone she knew for years or met while out shopping. She was not afraid to say, "I will pray for you," and her sincerity in doing so left others accepting her blessing with gratitude and a belief that she would actually carry through with that promise.
A Wake will be held on Thursday, August 7, 2025, from 4-7 pm at Alderson-Ford Funeral Home, 615 S. Main Street Cheshire, Connecticut. A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 am on Friday, August 8, 2025, at Saint Bridget of Sweden Church at 175 Main Street, in Cheshire, Connecticut. Burial will follow. Adelaide will be laid to rest beside her husband in Saint Bridget Cemetery in Cheshire, Connecticut.