Leonora (Paparo) Giunta's Obituary
Leonora (Paparo) Giunta, 97, of Stuart, FL., passed away on Friday, December 16, 2022. Born and raised on the North Side of Syracuse, N.Y. to the late Josephine (Sarno) and Mario Paparo, she was a graduate of North High School. She worked several years for Carrier Corporation and American General Life Insurance in Syracuse.
She was a loving Wife and Mother and a dedicated Grandmother, Family Member and Friend. Lee was a great Italian cook, loved to dance, and was an avid sports enthusiast. She and her husband Frank were long-time members of the Italian American Athletic Club (I.A.A.C.) in Syracuse and spent many memorable times with her beloved “Club Girls”.
As a devout Catholic, she was a longtime parishioner of Our Lady of Pompei Church in Syracuse and St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Stuart.
She outlived many of her contemporaries that embodied the WWII Generation of Italian Americans raised on Syracuse’s North Side. As such, she embraced the role of surrogate parent to many younger family members and friends as “Mom” or “Aunt Lee-Nor”. Even after moving to Florida to be near her children, she maintained a close network of extended family contacts by phone, text or “FACEBOOK” not typically utilized by people her age.
Leonora was predeceased by her husband of 63 years, Frank, in 2005, as well as 4 siblings.
She is survived by her children, David R. Giunta (Eileen), and Delores (DeDe) Zuber; Donna Linton (Craig), grandchildren, Dina Cummings (KC), and David F. Giunta (Leigh), Christopher and Grace Giunta, A.J. Morton (Jen), Leslie Justi (Aaron), great-grandchildren Megan, Nathan, and Mac Cummings, Madeline, and Mia Giunta, Aidan, Ella, and Lillian Justi, Albert III, and Ava Morton as well as numerous nieces, nephews and step-grandchildren.
A calling hour will be held on Thursday, December 29, 2022, from 12:00 – 1:00 PM at the THOMAS J. PIRRO JR. FUNERAL HOME, immediately followed by a funeral service in celebration of Leonora’s life at 1:00 PM at the funeral home, 3401 Vickery Rd. (Corner of Buckley Rd.) N. Syracuse, NY 13212. She will be laid to rest next to her husband in Assumption Cemetery.
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