Rachel Mazzola Turturro passed away on July 13, 2018 in Southport, North Carolina, with her devoted daughter Kathi and her son-in-law Peter at her bedside. Rachel was born on November 22, 1921 in Mt. Kisco, New York. She grew up in Stamford, Connecticut where she was a member of the Stamford High School class of 1939. She graduated from the Stamford Hospital School of Nursing, as a registered nurse in 1942 and was an active member of both school alumni associations.
She was predeceased by her husband and best tennis partner John Turturro. For more than 60 years John and Rae shared a love of family, gardening, cooking and tennis. This was best exemplified in the annual Thanksgiving dinner where children, grandchildren, siblings, and nieces and nephews gathered together.
In 2003 they retired to Ft. Myers Beach, Florida where they made many close friends and became active members of the Bay Oaks Recreation Center. Rachel organized the tennis round robin and Christmas party for the group. Her favorite activity on Saturday mornings was when she and her friends Jeanne, Jo-Anne and Ann would depart early to seek out tag sales. After John passed away Rachel was helped and assisted by her wonderful neighbors, Gloria and Frank, Gwen and Connie and Axel until she moved to North Carolina.
Rachel is survived by her daughters Nancy Robinson of Canajoharie, NY, Kathi and Peter Bovine of Southport, NC and son, John, Jr. of Manhattan, NY; her grandchildren Kellie (Josh) Eudowe of Weston, CT, Corky (Derek) Sturtevant of Springfield, VA, Stacy (Eugene) Jarka of Charlotte, NC, Brett (Jacci) Robinson of Stamford, CT, Caitlin (Dan) Petrelle of Woodbridge, CT, Megan (Michael) of Alexandria, VA and Christian Bovine and fiancée Genet Berhane of Brooklyn, NY; her great grandchildren Emily and Alexis Eudowe, Riley Rachel, Luke and Jake Sturtevant, Drew, Mallory Rachel and Sydney Jarka, Wyatt and Hayden Petrelle, and step-grandchildren Daniel, Aryion and Jacob Petrelle, Kieran, Madeline, and Lena Sullivan and the newest grandchild, born June 22, Madison Shay Robinson. She was predeceased by her baby grandson John Eugene Petrelle, her son-in-law Ronald Robinson and daughter-in-law Carol Gorman. Rachel is also survived by her sister Kay Gorman of Bonita Springs, FL, and brothers Joe and Frank and Dee Mazzola of Ft. Myers, Florida, as well as several nieces, nephews and cousins, all of whom will dearly miss her energy, enthusiasm and eggplant parmesan.
A memorial service will be held on July 28, at 11:00 a.m. at Gallagher's Funeral Home, 2900 Summer Street, Stamford, CT. In March a funeral mass will be held in Ft. Myers Beach, Florida.
The family requests that any donations be sent to Bay Oaks Recreation Center, 2731 Oak Street, Ft. Myers Beach, FL 33931, to continue the senior activities of which Rachel and John were active participants.
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