Mary D'Orazio

Mary was born on April 7, 1921, in Berwind, a mining town in southern Colorado, to Donato ""Dan"" DeSantis and Virginia Grosso DeSantis. In 1925, Mary's mother died, and in 1928, Dan married Grace Sacco who became a second mother to Mary. The family moved to Frederick in 1932.

Mary attended Frederick High School. On August 9, 1936, Mary and Joseph D'Orazio were married at St. Theresa's Catholic Church in Frederick.

For 25 years, Mary worked as a clerk at the Frederick Post Office where her numerous responsibilities ranged from accounting to making sure the walks were cleared for customers on snowy days. Mary was a voracious reader and self-educator who taught herself many things. She was quite gifted in the art of cooking and baking and was also self-taught and excelled in sewing, knitting, and crocheting. Mary taught herself to play the mandolin after the mail order purchase of a mandolin and lesson book. She imparted her many talents and gifts to her children. As a parent who valued education and knowledge, Mary also made the education of her children a priority and a responsibility.

Preceding her in death were her three parents, her husband, her brother Joseph DeSantis , her grandson James Robert Trinidad, an infant granddaughter, and two infant brothers.

Surviving are: her sons, Joseph (Lola) D’Orazio of Loveland, Anthony D’Orazio of Longmont, a daughter, Virginia D’Orazio of Denver, and a brother, Dan (Esther) DeSantis of Plano, Texas. Surviving grandchildren include: Rhonda (Doug) Adler of Mead, Margot (Paul) Hoffman of Colorado Springs, Thuy D’Orazio and Franco D’Orazio of Loveland, Lisa (Luke) Daniel of Denver, Joseph D’Orazio and Ann D’Orazio of Longmont, and Jonathan (Kimberly) Trinidad of Longmont. She is also survived by eight great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

A Recitation of the Rosary will be held at 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, March 2, at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church. A Mass of the Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, March 3 at St. Theresa’s.

Interment will follow at Longmont Mountain View Cemetery.