Pia Maria “Richetta” (DiLoreto) Petrella, 92, of West Hartford, beloved wife for 51 years of the late Ettorino Petrella, passed away peacefully on Monday, March 4, 2019 surrounded by her loving family.
Born in Pratola Peligna, province of L’Aquila, Italy on February 9, 1927, she was the daughter of the late Pietro and Francesca (Pizzoferrato) DiLoreto. Richetta worked for many years at CarlingSwitch in Plainville. She was a longtime, faithful communicant of St. Helena Church in West Hartford and was a past member of their Women’s Club. She also belonged to the St. Joseph Society in Wethersfield and the Pratolana M.B. Society of Hartford. Richetta enjoyed cooking, gardening and hosting family gatherings. Most of all, she was a loving and devoted mother who will be forever missed by her two sons, Peter Petrella of West Hartford and Robert Petrella and wife Diane of East Sandwich, MA. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Concetta DiLoreto, as well as many nieces and nephews in Connecticut, New York, California, Canada and Italy, especially Connie Frances DiGiacomo, Cecilia Sarcone and Ricardo DiLoreto, II. She was predeceased by her brother, Ricardo DiLoreto, her sister, Yolanda Giardini and a daughter-in-law, Linda Petrella.
A Mass of Christian Burial and celebration of life will take place on Saturday (March 9) at 10 am at St. Gianna Beretta Molla Parish (St. Helena Church), 30 Echo Lane, West Hartford. Everyone is asked to please meet directly at the church. Burial will follow in Cedar Hill Cemetery, Hartford. The family will receive relatives and friends on Friday from 4-7 pm at the D’Esopo Funeral Chapel, 277 Folly Brook Blvd., Wethersfield.
Donations in Richetta’s memory may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
To share a memory or special photo of Richetta with her family, please visit www.desopofuneralchapel.com.
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