Filomena A. DelVecchio

Filomena (Antignani) DelVecchio, 88, a beloved Stratford primary school teacher and community volunteer, died on November 3 at Connecticut Hospice, Branford.

She was the mother of John DelVecchio of Newtown.

Born in Boston, she was raised in Connecticut and educated at Danbury Normal School, Wellesley College, and Danbury State Teachers College (now Western Connecticut State University), where she received a bachelor’s of arts degree in 1962. She married her beloved husband, Frank A. DelVecchio, on February 22, 1941, and they settled in Stratford. She was a nursery school teacher for the WPA in Bridgeport, and an ardent member of the YWCA. Between 1957 and 1971, she taught at Second Hill Lane and Chapel Street schools in Stratford.

She was a member of Sigma Iota Theta Teachers sorority, Polka Dot Playhouse, Shakespeare Theatre Guild, and Italian Scholarship Committee of the University of Bridgeport. Mrs DelVecchio was an active volunteer for the PTA, Stratford Library, Red Cross, Sterling House and, following her retirement in 1971, joined the Bridgeport Hospital Auxiliary where she achieved the status of a 1,500-plus-hour volunteer. She was a devoted parishioner of Holy Rosary Church and a member of the St Theresa Guild.

Mrs DelVecchio was renowned to family, students, friends, and acquaintances for her beautiful smile and charm. A gifted hostess and cook, she was the social matriarch of her family of birth, of which she was the eldest.

In addition to her beloved husband of 60 years and son, survivors include her three other children, Mary-Jo Good of Cambridge, Mass., Frank DelVecchio, Jr, of Trumbull, and Elena Rusnak of Watertown; six grandchildren, Chandra, Joseph, Nathan, Catherine, Adam and Cara; siblings, Sal Antignani of Stratford, Regina Antignani of Trumbull, Ralph Antignani and Joseph Antignani, both of Bridgeport; several nieces and nephews; and in-laws, whom she adored. She was predeceased by a brother, Felix Antignani, and sister, Anna Noonan.

Funeral services took place on November 7 from the Abriola Parkview Funeral Home, 419 White Plains Road, Trumbull, and in Holy Rosary Church for a Mass of Christian Burial. Interment was in St Michael Cemetery, Stratford.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Holy Rosary Church Restoration Fund, 365 East Washington Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06608.

The Newtown Bee         November 9, 2001