Vilma Santopietro

Waterbury, CT
Vilma Santopietro
"Loving wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother"
Mrs. Vilma (Valletta) Santopietro, 94, of Waterbury, passed away peacefully on Thursday, February 29, 2024 in the comfort of her home surrounded by her loving family. She was the widow of Donald J. Santopietro.
Vilma was born in Waterbury on July 5, 1929, daughter of the late Joseph and Rosalie (Grillo) Valletta. She attended local schools having graduated from Leavenworth High School. She started her long culinary career with her husband Donald with a hot dog stand on Thomaston Avenue in Waterbury. They moved on to open Sandys Restaurant in the same area of Thomaston Avenue later adding Sandy's Catering starting in the basement. Ultimately, they expanded to the banquet facility "The Castilian Room" which they successfully ran for many years until their retirement. Vilma was a very accomplished baker, and she designed and created all the wedding cakes for the banquet hall customers. She eventually saw a need for a reliable source of bridal accessories and favors so, she opened her first gift shop called the Stone House Gift Shop, which quickly outgrew that location and thus expanded into the all-inclusive Vilma's Gift Shoppe.
Vilma was a member of the Red Hat Society and the daughters of Rebekah. She loved traveling, especially to Italy. She was interested with flying airplanes and studied for her pilot's license. Having made it all the way to her final solo flight which she chose not to complete. Vilma loved spending time with her close-knit family and was a proud and devoted homemaker and mother amongst all her other accomplishments. She loved to travel and visited many locations in Europe and the far east, but her favorite place by far, was Italy. She will be deeply missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing her.
Vilma leaves to honor and cherish her memory; two daughters, Julie Cardoso and her husband Augie of Plymouth and Donna Bryk of Waterbury; a son, Alan J. Santopietro and his fiancé Danyale Hubbard of Waterbury with whom she lived; a daughter-in-law, Cheryl Santopietro of Vernon; two sisters, Maria Mikletonas of Prospect and Diane Gule of Thomaston; eight grandchildren, Lisa Breton and her husband Kevin of Waterbury, Anthony Cardoso and his wife Jessica of Cuddebackville, NY, Clarissa Santopietro and her wife Erica of East Haven, Kara Santopietro and her husband Saul Lopez of Clinton, Elizabeth Johnson and her husband Matthew of Newington, Alyssa Shultz and her husband Richard, Jr. of East Haven, Caitlin Pavone and her husband Dylan of East Haven, and Bianca Zacharias of North Haven; ten great grandchildren, Kaiya Breton, Joseph Breton, Ethan Lopez, Gianna Lopez, Orion Kirby, Rowan Johnson, Nik Shultz, Liam Shultz, Griffin Cardoso, and Arden Cardoso. She was predeceased by; a son, Anthony J. Santopietro; a son-in-law, Anthony E. Bryk; a sister, Loretta Valletta; and a brother Daniel Valletta.
Arrangements: At Vilma's request all arrangements will be held privately and at the convenience of the family. Chase Parkway Memorial/The Albini Family Funeral Home 430 Chase Parkway has been entrusted with Vilma's arrangements.
Memorial contributions can be made in Vilma's memory to:
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
501 St. Jude Place
Memphis, TN 38105