Gloria Jean Spagnuolo

On December 30th 2015 the beloved matriarch of our family, Gloria Jean Spagnuolo passed away peacefully into the arms of our Heavenly Father. There, she was reunited with her cherished husband Orlando. Born in 1930, she was the third child of Paul and Mary Fata. Her world revolved within a mile of her family home. She attended Saint Mary’s School, walking home each day for lunch. As she grew up, she worked in the family store, alongside her brothers and sisters. Gloria’s life changed in 1947 when she met the love of her life, Orlando. They married and moved to Caro, Michigan where she began the next chapter of her life as a wife, a mother and a homemaker. This chapter continued for decades to come. For 50 plus years, she cooked for her family with joy and love, creating traditional Italian dishes as well as experimenting with new recipes. The delight she found in cooking was rivaled only by the love she had for her family and her faith. She was a proud lifelong member of St. Thomas Aquinas Church. She found great comfort in attending daily mass with the 6:30 a.m. faith community. She was an outstanding example of grace and unconditional love her entire life. Her fun-loving personality made her a wonderful companion to her daughters, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, sisters, brothers and friends. Gloria’s devotion to her faith and family strengthened and energized her through many adventures and challenges; she was an inspiration to all of us. The family home was the center of our universe through four generations of family and friends. For those of us left behind, there will always be a shining star over our special home in East Lansing, MI. Her loving husband Orlando precedes her in death, parents Mary and Paul Fata, mother and father in-law Tony and Rose Spagnuolo, brother Frank Fata, sister Margaret Fetyko, her niece Louanne Dalebout and brother-in-law Art Castellani. Surviving are her five daughters, Roseann (Jon) Zumbrink, Janet (George) Carr, Debbie (Jim) Epolito, Pam (Phil) Gillespie and Michelle Spagnuolo. Grandchildren: Krista and Jennifer Zumbrink, Angela (Dane) Sprecher, Katie (Nolan) Moody, Amanda (Jeff Rainville) Epolito, Alyson Epolito, Orlando, Grayce, Jillian and Forrest Gillespie. Great grandchildren: Roslyn and Gloria Sprecher and Olivia Moody. Her brothers and sisters, Ernest (Teresa) Fata, Dorena Castellani, Eleanor (Louis) Dionise, Ellen Fata, Larry (Barbara) Fata, Dave Fetyko, Joanne (Dennis) Bernest and Brother-in-law, Dr. Mark (Sarah) Spagnuolo. The funeral mass will be celebrated Monday, January 4, at 11 a.m. at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 955 Alton Rd., East Lansing with Fr. Jerry Ploof officiating. The Rite of Committal will be held at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery. The family will receive friends at St. Thomas Aquinas Church on Sunday, January 3, 2015 from 5-8pm where the rosary will be prayed at 7:30pm. In addition, the family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at St. Thomas Aquinas Church. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 955 Alton, East Lansing MI 48823 or Mother Teresa House, 308 N Walnut Street, Lansing MI 48933, in memory of Gloria Spagnuolo.