Tena M. Milazzo

Tena (Spatol) Milazzo of District Heights, Maryland passed away on Sunday, November 28, 2021 at the age of 104. She was born in Ilion, NY on March 8, 1917 to Italian immigrants, Calogero and Francesca (Castiglia) Spatola. Her given name was Congetta, but she was known by everyone as Tena.

Tena was the wife of Valentine C. Milazzo and sister to Thomas, Anthony, Frank, James, Joseph, Rose, and Mamie Spatol, Margaret Payne, Mary Quayle, and Jen Quillen all of whom predeceased her. In 1936, Tena graduated from Ilion High School. After graduation she worked as an assembler at the Felt Shoe Company in Little Falls, NY and then worked at the Remington Arms Company in Ilion before moving to Sidney, NY during World War II. There she worked in the Scintilla Magneto Division of the Bendix Aviation Corporation initially working in the manufacturing facility filling engine coils for war planes with formaldehyde. She then secured a secretarial position within the company working closely with a team of engineers. In 1945, Tena returned to Ilion and rejoined the Remington Arms Company workforce. On September 28, 1946, she married Valentine Milazzo, formerly from Frankfort, NY, at the Church of the Annunciation in Ilion. Shortly after their marriage, the newlyweds moved to Washington, DC. In the mid-1970s, after raising a family, Tena returned to the workforce and worked for several years as an executive secretary at the Woodward and Lothrop Department store headquarters in Washington, DC. Tena and Valentine remained in the DC area and were married for 50 years until Valentine’s death in October 1996.

Tena was a devout Catholic and a long time member of the Church of the Holy Spirit in Forestville, MD. In addition to her many church friends and special neighbors, Tena is survived by daughters Valerie (Thomas) Johnson, Laura (Dennis) Sayre, and Marilyn (James) Monahan; 7 grandchildren, Kelly (James) Vezeris, Sarah (Patrick) Gilbert, Keara (Denis) Brown, Justin (Elizabeth) Sayre, Sean (Shannon) Monahan, David (Shannon) Johnson, and Christina Sayre; 11 great-grandchildren, Nicholas, Ashley, Rose, Sebastian, Carter, Sophia, Gus, Robert, Josephine, Anthony, and Ruby; dear sister-in-law Margarete Milazzo, several nieces and nephews and grand nieces and nephews, especially Donald Spatol, Dennis Spatol, Paul Milazzo, Susan Milstead, Patricia Ottenwaelder, and Tina Scott.

Tena attributed her long life to good genes, her loving family, and her strong faith in God.

A visitation for Tena will be held Saturday, December 11, 2021 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 1717 Ritchie Road, District Heights, MD 20747. A Mass of Christian burial will immediately follow from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Masks are required at the Church. A graveside service will occur Saturday, December 11, 2021 at 1:00 PM at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, 13801 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20906.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.robertevansfuneralhome.com for the Milazzo family.