Orlando R. DeFelice Jr.

On September 28, 2021 ORLANDO R. DEFELICE, JR.; beloved husband of 68 years to Rosmonda DeFelice (nee Mormoni); loving father of Richard T. DeFelice, Norma Gene Diehl, and the late Donna Marie Lubin and Orlando R. DeFelice, III; loving father-in-law to Susan DeFelice, Richard Diehl, Tim Lubin and Pamela DeFelice; dear brother of the late John, Robert, Joseph and Francis DeFelice; cherished grandfather of Nicholas Lubin, Lauren Cascio, Jonathan Diehl, Danielle Bonee and Marissa Diehl; adoring great-grandfather to Caleb.

TRIPLE LEMON

In a confident tone, with three extended fingers he announces to the waitress, “I’ll have an iced tea with triple lemon”. She politely asks if he needs any sugar. “No, nooo, I’m sweet enough already”. A single line from a deep repertoire of all too familiar but sentimental expressions of his humor.

Orlando DeFelice, Jr. was a God fearing, rule following, church going, hard working all American who loved his God, country and family. He served in the Navy from 1943 to 1946 alongside his twin brother. His values were simple, his views were conservative and his days were navigated with discipline and structure. A self proclaimed bean counter, he lived beneath his means so he could shower those in need and those he loved with his generosity.

Rosmonda, his beautiful bride of 68 years, shared his high morals and was not only his best friend but the person that completed him. Together they raised their children, Orlando, III, Norma Gene, Donna Marie and Richard. They worked hard to instill all things good in their family and walked in front of them, beside them and behind them every step through childhood and into adulthood. The years were not always kind to their family. There was the unexpected passing of Donna Marie at age 49 and their eldest son’s unprecedented medical challenges that led to his passing in 2020. Burying children changes anyone and I believe forever changed my father-in-law. Orlando learned to accept what God had taken away and to embrace what he had in the present. His traditional views softened and he learned to embrace the “modern family” with open arms. If you were happy, he was happy.

Many days of his later years were spent in a well worn leather recliner, circa 1993. He plotted and planned long and short term goals. Make it to dialysis, make it to the graduation, make it to the wedding, make it to triple digits. Orlando came up a bit short on the last goal even though he made one hell of an effort. Sadly, he won’t be plastered on the front of a Smucker’s jam jar. But he didn’t need to make it. He was “sweet enough already”.

Sweet dreams, Orlando. Sweet dreams.

~ Susan DeFelice

The family will receive friends in the LEMMON FUNERAL HOME OF DULANEY VALLEY INC., 10 W. Padonia Road (at York Road) Timonium, Maryland 21093 on Friday, October 8, 2021, 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm & 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated in Immaculate Conception Church, 200 Ware Avenue, Towson, Maryland 21204 on Saturday, October 9, 2021 at 10:00 am.

Interment Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Orlando’s memory to the Alzheimer’s Association Baltimore Memory Ball, c/o Alzheimer’s Association of Greater Baltimore, Attn.: Memory Ball, P.O. Box 4526, Lutherville, Maryland 21094.