Vivian Cacioppo

Vivian Wesserling Cacioppo was born December 22, 1939 in Detroit, MI to Frank and Elizabeth Klein Wesserling. She was the ninth of 11 children and last surviving child. After graduating from Western High School in Detroit, Vivian worked as a credit clerk for Credit Data in Detroit. She was a homemaker for many years and then returned to the workforce both as a cafeteria aide at GM for a short time and then later as a lunchroom aide at Riverview Community Schools until her retirement in 1999. She was married to Joseph Cacioppo until his passing in 2017 for almost 53 years. They had two daughters, Joann Cacioppo-Hodgson (James Hodgson) and Elizabeth MacAleese (Mark MacAleese) and 4 grandchildren- James Joseph Hodgson, Hailey Elizabeth Dougherty (Miles Dougherty), Madison Vivian MacAleese, and Robert Harris MacAleese. She loved her grandchildren so much, teaching each of them how to play cards, how to eat healthy fruit and vegetables and she was a role model of loving God. Vivian loved watching her game shows with her favorite being Wheel of Fortune, which she never missed each night. She also loved watching the Detroit Tigers and EWTN, the Catholic channel's daily masses and praying the rosary. Up until a few months ago, Vivian walked daily and loved chit chatting with her wonderful neighbors. Prior to her illness, she liked to maintain her yard and her home but mostly loved to cook and bake. She was the first one in the family to make homemade cannoli and was known for her angel wings and meatballs. You would always find Vivian with a smile on her face and something funny to say. She lit up a room and made sure to talk to everyone and have a laugh with them. She really enjoyed sending birthday and anniversary cards or a phone call to let someone know she was thinking about them. She especially loved all of her dozens of nieces and nephews that she watched grow up, and told so many good stories about each one. Above all, Vivian was a strong fighter, having endured breast cancer in the same breast two separate times, 18 years apart but spanning 25 years until metastasis to her lungs led to her peaceful death at home. And prior to that, she cared for her younger sister who died from breast cancer and her mother in law who also died from breast cancer. But she did not allow cancer to define her. She survived as long as she did because she did not believe in dwelling on it or giving in to it until she had to. Let her legacy be - always smile, keep moving, do not dwell on the negative and enjoy your family and friends. She has been looking forward to seeing her siblings again -Dorothy (John) Janowski, Mamie (Jim) Bengle, Frank (May) Wesserling, Jerome (Frances) Wesserling, Arthur (Virginia) Wesserling, Edward (Darlene) Wesserling, Elizabeth Wesserling, Magdalen (Robert) Radford, Jeanette Wood, and David Wesserling. She will be missed by her dear sister-in- laws, May Wesserling and Frances Wesserling along with many nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and other loved ones. Vivian will be held in our hearts forever. To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Vivian Cacioppo, please visit our Tree Store.