Concetta "Connie" Paglia

Concetta “Connie” Paglia was born in Philadelphia on November 4th, 1928, and was the youngest of 11 children of her parents, Concetta (Lenzi) Vernacchio and Raffaele Vernacchio, both of whom were immigrants from Italy. Connie attended Saint Rita’s Catholic School and later was a graduate of the then-prestigious John W. Hallahan Catholic Girls' High School, both in Philadelphia. After graduation she attended secretarial school and worked first as a secretary, and then as an executive secretary, for a prominent accounting firm.

In 1950, at Saint Monica’s Catholic Church in Philadelphia, Connie married Michael Paglia, the love of her life whom she had first met in childhood. The couple lived in Philadelphia and then moved to Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, in 1957. They relocated to Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1965, with Michael having been transferred by his company, Philco Corporation, in order to work at NORAD.

Connie and Michael were married for 52 years, at which time, in 2002, Michael preceded Connie in death.

The couple raised four children and loved them, and came to love their respective spouses, and were deeply loved in return. Connie is survived by: Michael Paglia, Jr. (Robert Delaney); Mark Paglia (Kari Stewart); Diane Paglia-Baggs (Steven Baggs); and; Marian Bukowski (Michael Bukowski). Connie also had five grandchildren to whom she was completely devoted: Michael Baggs (Lily Stone); Rachel Baggs (Dmitriy Storozhuk); Michael Bukowski, Jr.; Ali Paglia; and; Mia Bukowski (Camden Raedel).

Connie was dedicated to raising her children, instilling in them a strong sense of right and wrong, and of the importance of having a generosity of spirit. Education was particularly important to her, and she was able to fulfill a lifelong dream of providing all of her children with college educations.

Connie collected money for charity, and regularly donated to various worthy causes including that of her home parish, Divine Redeemer Catholic Church in Colorado Springs, where she served as a volunteer usher for many years until COVID restrictions led her to give it up. Connie was a stylish woman with refined taste in clothing. She was an excellent cook and baker having mastered the many Neapolitan-style Italian recipes that had been handed down from her mother’s family, as well as having developed her own repertoire of well-made dishes. Even up into her 80s, she was hosting grand dinners for her family to celebrate various holidays and birthdays.

As her health declined, she was nonetheless able to remain in her home owing to the efforts of her daughters, Diane and Marian, and to healthcare aides, notably Kathryn Ragan. Connie passed away, surrounded by her family, on Tuesday, November 30, 2021.

At 10:00 am on Saturday, December 11, there will be a mass of remembrance to celebrate Connie’s life at Divine Redeemer Catholic Church, 927 N. Logan Avenue, Colorado Springs. Following the mass, a reception will be held at the Colorado Springs Country Club, 3333 Templeton Gap Road, Colorado Springs.