Giovanna Marullo

Giovanna Marullo, 94, passed away into the arms of our Lord on October 21,2024, surrounded by her loving family in Tampa. Giovanna was born in Santo Stefano Quisquina, Sicily, Italy to Maria Grazia Pizzuto Antinori & Francesco Accomando. In 1956, she and her husband Vincenzo, along with their four children, immigrated to the US. Later, her youngest daughter was born in Brooklyn, NY. Her life centered around “La Famiglia”, Sunday dinners, and keeping the Italian traditions alive. She loved her family very much and was proud of her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, & great, great grandchild. She was a hard worker. At the age of 58, she retired as a manager for Tropical Garment Factory in Tampa. Her dream as a child was to become a schoolteacher, but due to family needs she was unable to pursue further education. She was inquisitive and smart. She demonstrated her intelligence and abilities in so many ways. She learned English & Spanish. She would read the paper from front to back every day & was always well versed in world events. The most important thing to her, however, was keeping her family close & keeping the Sicilian traditions alive. Her children are fluent in Sicilian. Every Sunday there was an impressive Italian Feast & her meatballs are still the best any of us will ever have hands down. Those Sunday dinners are remembered as warm, fun, loud, sometimes raucous but always full of love. She had the uncanny ability to watch over the table & keep track of the plates and ask “What, you no like my meatballs, you only had one?” Her personality always shined through. She was feisty, funny, loving & sweet. She always spoke her mind. Could be “You need to shave that beard” or “How come you no married yet?” As memories faded, her personality never did. She was loved beyond compare.

Giovanna is preceded in death by her husband, Vincenzo Marullo; her parents, & siblings Lily Pensiero, Francesca Messina, John Accomando, Vivan Garcia, & Evelina Accomando.

Giovanna (Nonna) is survived by her children, Teresa (Carmelo) Infantino, Charles, Grace (Roger) Sanders, Franca (Annabel) Marullo, Annette (Mark) Holeyfield; her sister Santina (Vittorio) Messina; her grandchildren Crocette (Shawn) Long, JoAnne Infantino, Claudia Marullo, Vincent Marullo, Christopher (Mechele) Sanders, Michael (Rebecca) Sanders, Enzo Matos; great grandchildren Joshua, Brianna, Taliyah, Gabe, Brandon, Evan, Olivia, Ayla, Valentina, & Mila; & great, great grandchild Noah.

Pallbearers will be Mark Holeyfield, Vincent Marullo, Chris Sanders, Michael Sanders, Enzo Matos, & Brandon Bodon.

We thank the staff at Annie’s ALF & Hospice who cared for her as their own in her final years. She always felt “at home”.

Visitation will be October 30th @10am, followed by prayer service @ 11am at Blount & Curry. Interment at 12pm at Myrtle Hill.