Anita C. Baldasare

Anita (Garofalo) Baldasare (97) passed away peacefully at the Hospice Center on December 21, 2016. Anita was born in Danbury on December 12, 1919. She was the daughter of the late Salvatore and Erminia Garofalo. She graduated from Danbury High School and began a career in retail at Genung's Department Store. Early on, she became manager of the Women's Dresses and Coats Department.In 1940, she married Michael Baldasare and became a housewife and a devoted mother. Michael predeceased her in 2011 after 71 years of marriage.Having a happy family was her utmost priority, which was achieved through love, commitment and generosity of time and talent for her children, grand-children and all her family members. "Good times" were plenty, which created bonds for the family to remain strong through life's difficult times. Anita enjoyed cooking and her lasagna was everyone's favorite.Anita was a lifetime member of St. James Episcopal Church, taught Sunday School, was an officer of ECW and served on many committees. She was a member of Eastern Star and assisted her husband in hosting the Shriners' Annual Chicken Fry FUND-Raiser for The Shriner's Hospital for Children.She and Michael traveled the world for business and pleasure and on the home-front maintained a place of welcome for everyone.Anita was predeceased by her three brothers, Jerome, Paul and Harold Garofalo – all of Danbury. She was survived by her daughters; Anita Staib and her husband Len of Danbury and Carol Stirling and her husband Jim of Castle Rock, CO; her five grandchildren; Michael Staib (Stephanie), Scott Staib (Annett), Lori Hauschild (Paul), all of Danbury, Kimberly Winder (Keven) of Castle Rock, CO and James Stirling of Aurora, CO and her seven great-grandchildren; William Ella, Nicholas Staib, Erika and Marlie Staib and Karley and Kalvin Winder and many nieces and nephews.Friends are invited to join the family to pay their respects from 10-11 a.m. on Friday, December 30 at the Green Funeral Home, 57 Main Street, Danbury, CT, immediately after will be a short service in which everyone is invited. Burial will follow at Wooster Cemetery, Danbury, CT.In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Schriner's Hospital for Children, 516 Carew Street, Springfield, MA 01104, St. James Episcopal Church, Book of Loving Remembrance, 25 West Street, Danbury, CT 06810, or Regional Hospice, 30 Milestone Road, Danbury, CT 06810.