Elsie Jackalone

Elsie Angelina Manzoni Jackalone passed away at the age of 96 on November 21, 2025 at the Terra Bella memory care residence in Durham, North Carolina. She was born on November 10, 1929 in Coram, Town of Brookhaven, Suffolk County, New York, daughter of Luigi "Louis" Manzoni and Isolina (Bocchi) Manzoni.

Elsie grew up on a small family farm in rural eastern Long Island. At age 77 she wrote "Growing up in Coram," an article published by the Longwood Journey, sharing her recollection of how her parents, her brother Lee, and she managed life on the farm during the Great Depression. (https://sites.google.com/longwoodcsd.org/longwoodjourney/hamlets/coram/hammond-higbee-house/elsie-manzoni)

Elsie married Frank Jackalone on 29 September 1951 in Patchogue, New York. Together, they built a home in Selden, New York where they raised two boys, Frank Louis Jackalone and Louis Vincent Jackalone. She worked as an office typist, bookkeeper, newspaper route delivery driver, and school bus driver, while raising her sons and managing the family household. When her brother Lee sold the family farm and opened a real estate office, she went into business with him, buying, renovating, and reselling houses and small retail buildings.

In 1972, Elsie brought her parents to visit their birthplaces in the Lunigiana region of Tuscany, Italy - 50 years after they immigrated at Ellis Island. She returned to Italy several times, and in later life she loved staying connected with her cousins in Italy, France, and Uruguay.

Elsie and her husband Frank retired to Florida in the 1990's, making many friends in the Jamaica Bay community of Boynton Beach and Freedom Plaza in Sun City Center. Following Frank's death in 2020, Elsie moved closer to her eldest son in North Carolina, enjoying her golden years at the Cambridge Village and Brier Pointe independent living retirement homes. In 2025, she moved into the Terra Bella assisted living and memory care home in Durham, North Carolina where she received loving support until her death.

Elsie loved to laugh and got others to laugh with her. She enjoyed bowling, shopping at yard sales, sewing, various arts and crafts, playing cards, a little bit of impromptu dancing, sending jokes to her friends over the internet and, of course, eating pasta and pizza at big family dinners. She was a friend to everyone she met no matter race, religion or sexual preference.

Elsie is pre-deceased by her parents, husband Frank and brother Lee. She is survived by her son Frank and his spouse Melissa; her son Louis and his spouse Maria; her nephew Ray Manzoni, niece Diane Manzoni, niece Regina (Manzoni) Tart; nephews Thomas, Michael, and Nick LaGrega; nephew Tom Giacalone and niece Marie (Giacalone) Harrington; nephews Peter and Thomas Jackalone; many grand-nephews and grand-nieces; and many dear cousins in Italy, France and Uruguay.

A visitation for family and friends will be held on November 30, 2025 from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM at the Marinello Funeral Home at 493 Middle Country Road in Coram, New York. A funeral mass will be held on December 1, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 10:45 AM at St. Francis Cabrini Church at 134 Middle Country Road in Coram. Immediately following the mass, a burial will be held on December 1, 2025, from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery at 3443 Route 112 in Coram.