Orsela C. Leto

Orsela was born in Bridgeport, OH, to Joseph Ciliberto and Elizabeth Provenzano Ciliberto on November 28, 1929. She went to grade school in Martins Ferry, OH. Her family moved to Tampa in 1944, and she graduated from Hillsborough High School in 1948. She married Anthony Leto on October 25, 1953, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Ybor City. She graduated from the University of South Florida in Tampa, on June 13, 1976, with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of Education and College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. She worked as a loan company clerk, bank clerk and substitute teacher in Hillsborough County, Florida. She was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church and their church choir, she later joined the Seminole Presbyterian Church and lastly St. Paul’s Catholic Church, all in Tampa, FL.

Orsela was a devoted daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, and grandmother. She deeply loved and cared for her husband, Anthony, and their children Elizabeth Gedge (Mathew) and James V. Leto II (Lissa Anne). She especially cherished her grandchildren Phillip and Joseph Leto and John Archer II.

Travel was one of her passions that lead her and her family to visit New Orleans, Louisiana; New York City; Lima, Ohio; San Francisco, CA; and the Hawaiian Islands; Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, Canada; as well as overseas to England, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Japan and Hong Kong.

Orsela was preceded in death by Anthony Leto, her husband of 63 years; her parents Joseph and Elizabeth Ciliberto, sister Rose Parrino (Sam), brother Bernard Ciliberto and brother-in-law Jaime Jurado. She was also preceded in death by cousins Frank and Violet Russo; and Annie Chiazza, Mary Moscato and Angela Sanna of Lima, OH.

Orsela is survived by her children Elizabeth Gedge (Mathew), James Leto II (Lissa Anne) and grandchildren Phillip and Joseph Leto of Spring Hill, FL, and John Archer II, Dallas, TX. She also leaves sister-in-law Teresa Jurado and her children Kurt (Janeen), Kathy Jurado Muñoz (George) and Keith (Crystal) and Teresa’s grandchildren and great grandchild, as well as nieces Leslie and Jackie Ciliberto, the children of Bernard Ciliberto. In Rochester, NY, she leaves her beloved cousins Frank Ciliberto and his wife, Rose, as well as their son Roger and his wife Michelle and many other members of the Ciliberto family. She also leaves her many extended family members in Tampa and Lima, Ohio.

Memorial services will begin at 1:00 pm for Visitation followed by the Memorial Service at 2:00 pm, on Sunday, November 17, 2024, at Blount & Curry Funeral Home in Carrollwood with Pastor Lynn Sayne officiating. All arrangements are made by Blount & Curry Funeral Home in Carrollwood, 3207 W. Bearss Avenue, Tampa, FL.

The family of Orsela C. Leto wishes to extend our sincere thanks to Dr. Shital Mehta at Citrus Park Medical Care, the entire staff at Tampa Gardens Assisted Living especially Giuliana, Jennifer, Myra, Rosemane, Yissel, Junior, Stephen, Maria F., Marie V., Ernesto, Judy, Atmara, and Gloria; Bluestone Physician Services; and LifePath Hospice (Garnet Team staff) Nurse Susie Toliver and her nursing aide who cared for Mom during her final days. Thank you for the care all of you gave to our mother when she was most in need.