Ilene Ethel (Beck) Iassogna, 75, beloved wife and best friend of Joseph B. Iassogna for 53 years, died peacefully in the company of her family at Keepsake Village-The Hearth in Southbury, December 27, ending her courageous nine-year battle with multiple myeloma and 12 years of Alzheimer’s disease. She was born in New Brunswick, N.J., and was raised by her parents, Ethel (Nagy) and G. Paul Beck, in Highland Park, N.J.

Her four children and spouses, Michael and Linda Iassogna of Newtown, Lisa and John Doulong of Mount Laurel, N.J., Karen and Christopher Weiler of Madison, Conn., and Gina and John Luczaj of Fairfield; her grandchildren, the 12 shining stars that made her face glow at their sight; four siblings and spouses, Paul A. and Marlene Beck, Patricia and James Ladota, Christine and John Puk, and Rose Mary and Frank Murphy; and several aunts, cousins, nieces, and nephews survive Mrs Iassogna.

Mrs Iassogna graduated cum laude with a BS degree in legal secretarial sciences from Bryant College in Providence, R.I. She married her college sweetheart and they raised their family in Bridgeport, where she spent 40 years, first as a volunteer, then as administrative assistant, at St Charles Church on the east side of town. She served her parish as Eucharistic minister and reader at Mass, and was very active in all church functions, especially singing in the choir and singing and choreographing tap dancing in parish musicals.

The family extends a special thank you to her companion and friend Beth Sadick, the staff at Keepsake Village for the kind and caring gentle ways, and the hospice team from VNS-Oxford led by Joanne Phillips, RN.

A Mass of Christian Burial took place December 30. Entombment was in St Michael’s Cemetery, Stratford. Arrangements were by Carpino Funeral Home, Southbury.

Remember Mrs Iassogna with a donation to The St Charles Brazilian Children’s Mission, 238 Jewitt Avenue, Bridgeport CT 06606.