Gilda Dambra

Gilda (Jill) Dambra passed away at the age of 91 on Dec 6, 2021 in her residence at The Saybrook at Haddam. Having battled Alzheimer’s disease for many years, Jill died peacefully surrounded by her sons, Stephen and Michael and their wives, Jane and Awilda.

Jill was born Gilda Cornacchio in Queens, New York on April 9, 1930. One of 8 siblings, she was raised in Richmond Hill. After graduating high school Jill worked in Manhattan as a secretary for a liquor distributor. During that time she met “the love of her life” Constantine “Connie” Dambra. Connie and Jill married and lived in Ozone Park for the next 63 years. They had their careers there; him as part of NYPD and later an investigator, and her a homemaker and later a bookkeeper; they raised their sons there, and they retired there. Connie passed away shortly after relocating to Chester Village in 2015. Six years later Jill relocated to The Saybrook at Haddam.

Jill enjoyed traveling. She had volumes of notes and pictures documenting her many U.S. trips and visit to Italy. She was a terrific dancer who simply could not sit still whenever there was “good lindy” playing and, while she appreciated all forms of music she had a special place in her heart for big bands and a guy named Sinatra. She loved dogs, especially the cute, cuddly kind and always carried a little bit of emptiness from the loss of her beloved “Wimpy.” Jill was entertaining with an infectious laugh and a silly sense of humor that she could direct at herself just as easily as she could the situations around her. She had a wonderful way of turning new acquaintances into friends. In her later years Jill discovered a talent for art and enjoyed spending hours creating many paintings, scarfs, collages and jewelry pieces. More than anything though, Jill loved her family. She was a devoted daughter, sister, wife and mother, and to her adoring grandchildren, Joslyn and Justin, she was Nanny.

She will be missed tremendously.