Mary Vitale

VITALE, MARY DeMATTIE Mary DeMattie Vitale, 84, passed away peacefully on December 1, 2013 at Connecticut Hospice, surrounded by her loving family. Mary and her devoted husband, John, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on September 26. Mary was the loving mother of the Hon. Elpedio N. Vitale (Robin) of Madison; Jennifer Fiondella (Mike) of Bethany; and John Vitale, Jr. (Lisa) of Woodbridge. She was the beloved grandmother of Laura Vitale Wahrenburg, Amanda Vitale, Michael Fiondella, Nicholas Fiondella, Mary Rose Fiondella and John Paul Vitale. In addition to her husband, Mary is survived by her brothers Steve DeMattie of Orange and Rudy DeMattie of New Haven. She was predeceased by her brothers Renny, Albert, Joseph, and William DeMattie. Mary Palma DeMattie was born on March 24, 1929 (Palm Sunday) to Italian immigrants Nicolo and Theresa Perrone DeMattie. A lifelong resident of Woodbridge, Mary was a dedicated parishioner of Our Lady of the Assumption Church. Mary graduated from Commercial High School in New Haven, and attended Paier School of Art. Three of her brothers served overseas during World War II, and Mary remained very patriotic throughout her life. Before she had children, Mary worked for nine years at Blue Cross in New Haven. Growing up with six brothers, she became an accomplished athlete, and was a star player for the Blue Cross softball team. She was an avid fan of the New York Yankees and the UConn women’s basketball team, and enjoyed attending concerts and shows, especially to see her favorite singer, Patrizio. Mary also loved vacations to the beach with her family. More recently, Mary enjoyed babysitting her new grandson. Nothing was more important to Mary than her children and grandchildren, which she demonstrated on a daily basis. Her greatest joy was weekly gatherings with her family, and she delighted in preparing traditional Italian dishes with her own special touch. Mary will be specially remembered for her big heart and devotion to her large extended family. The family would like to thank the nurses of the Neuroscience Intensive Care unit at Yale-New Haven Hospital, especially Shelly, for their compassionate care of Mary. Her funeral procession will leave the North Haven Funeral Home, 36 Washington Avenue, Thursday morning at 9:15. A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated in Our Lady of the Assumption Church, Center Road, Woodbridge at 10:00. Interment will follow in Eastside Cemetery, Woodbridge. The visiting hours will be Wednesday from 4 to 8 PM. In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to The Connecticut Hospice, 100 Double Beach Road, Branford, CT 06405. www.northhavenfuneral.com