Assunta Santilli

Assunta (Tedeschi) Santilli, of Hartford, devoted wife, mother, grandmother and friend, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her loving family on September 16, 2021 at the age of 73 after a courageous battle with cancer. Born on April 13, 1948 in Abruzzo, Italy, she was the daughter of the late Mario and Dora (Liberatore) Tedeschi. Assunta met Bruno Santilli in Italy, they married shortly after they met and moved to Hartford, Connecticut, where they raised four children.

Assunta is survived by her husband Bruno Santilli, daughter Concetta Castiglione, son-in-law Charlie Castiglione, daughter Dora Garofalo, son-in-law Antonio Garofalo, son Salvatore Santilli, daughter-in-law Monique Santilli, and daughter Martha Santilli. She is also survived by five grandchildren, Rachel and Vanessa Chiulli, Tony and Gabriele Garofalo and Julian Santilli and her sisters in Italy, Clara Tedeschi and Margherita Chiavari, as well as many dear nieces, nephews and extended family members.

Assunta’s dedication to her family was unparalleled. She loved spending time with Bruno, her children and grandchildren. Assunta loved her Italian culture and shared her passion through her cooking and baking. She was a master seamstress and enjoyed sewing, and sharing her talent with others by recently making “individualized” COVID masks for her family, friends and staff that took care of her at the Helen & Harry Gray Cancer Center. Assunta opened her heart to those around her and always had a warm smile and greeting for everyone she met, believing a stranger is a friend not yet met. She treasured her time spent at the casino on her favorite slot machines sharing many special fun weekends with her friends. Assunta will be deeply missed, and her memory will be cherished by all who were fortunate enough to know her.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, September 20, at 10 a.m. at Maria Reina de La Paz Parish (St. Lawrence O’Toole Church), 494 New Britain Avenue, Hartford. Everyone is asked to please go directly to the church. Entombment will follow in Cedar Hill Cemetery, Hartford. The family will receive relatives and friends on Sunday from 2-4 p.m. at the D’Esopo Funeral Chapel, 277 Folly Brook Boulevard, Wethersfield. Masks will be required for all indoor services. Donations in Assunta’s memory may be made to Hartford HealthCare at Home Hospice Care, 1290 Silas Deane Highway, Suite 4B, Wethersfield, CT 06109. To share a memory of Assunta with her family, please visit www.desopofuneralchapel.com.