Fiorita Leone's Obituary
Fiorita Leone, 90, of Syracuse, passed away peacefully on Sunday at The Cottages at Garden Grove in Cicero. She was born in a small village just north of Naples, Italy in 1925 and immigrated to America at a very young age with her mother, Anna and brothers, Manuel and Sylvester, following their father who had left in 1921 to pave the way for his family to follow. Younger brother Edward would later be born here.
“Rita” or “Florence”, as she was alternately called by her immediate family, was always “SiSSi” to her several nieces and nephews. She was proud of her distinguished career as an administrative assistant at the Veterans Administration Hospital in her hometown. Her years of service there earned her many awards and acknowledgments from doctors, administrators, and patients alike.
Central to her life, however, was an enduring and abiding bond with her family, particularly her parents. She was a constant in a home that was the epicenter for gatherings on Christmas holidays and special occasions. She was meticulous in her care for her parents, even into old age and the serious challenges that came with those later years. Largely because of her unmatched devotion, both of her parents were able to stay in the very home they built in the 1950’s through their deaths in the 1980’s. She loved gardening and caring for the home and property that her parents provided.
She is predeceased by two brothers, Sylvester “Rocky” Leone and Manuel “Manny” Leone.
She is survived by her younger brother, Edward (Rosemary) Leone; several nieces and nephews; her sister-in-law, Ann Leone, though not a blood relative, remained by her side especially through her later, more trying years. She was as much a sister and friend as Fiorita would have in her lifetime.
Private funeral services entrusted to the THOMAS J. PIRRO JR. FUNERAL HOME.
Donations may be made to the Francis House, 108 Michaels Ave., Syracuse, NY 13208.
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