Joyce "Sammi" Olmo

Joyce “Sammi” Olmo, 78, of Davidsonville, MD. passed away on Sunday, March 5 surrounded by her loving family after enduring a courageous 9-month battle with cancer. Sammi was born in Cliffside Park, NJ, the eldest of four children raised by Gino Zilocchi and wife Rose (nee Pellegrini). She was brought up a devout Catholic in an Italian American family, not learning the English language until entering kindergarten. She graduated from Cliffside Park High School where she met her future husband, Lazzaro “Larry” Olmo. They began courting in 1961 and married in 1965. After raising her three boys, she owned and operated a music and record store in Kings Park, NY. Upon moving to Maryland in 1985, she became a project manager at the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists, retiring in 2021 after 35 years. In recent years she assisted her husband at the family business, Olmo Bros Nursery & Farm in Annapolis.

Sammi combined her love of cooking and her Italian heritage by serving as an Executive Board member of the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America (OSDIA), Annapolis Lodge. She created and coordinated the menus for many OSDIA events including their Friday night dinners which she initiated in 2011 and continues today. She was an extraordinary cook her entire life, never letting a guest leave her home with an empty stomach. She was also a skilled baker, frequently producing high outputs of cakes and cookies, especially during the holidays.

Sammi’s primary focus in life was la famiglia, the family. Her most enjoyable activities were anything that involved or benefited her family. She was kind, caring and generous to those that knew her best. In addition to Larry, her husband of 58 years, Sammi is survived by their three sons, Vincent (Carolyn), Gene (Dina), Brian Anthony, 6 grandchildren; Anthony, Stephen, Joseph, Victoria, Julia and Cara; great granddaughter Skylar; sister Vivian Parrilla (Felipe) and brother Peter Zilocchi (Patricia) and numerous nieces and nephews.

There will be a private family service on Saturday, March 11th at the John M. Taylor Funeral Home, followed by a 9am funeral mass at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Annapolis. The family will host a reception immediately following the services.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the American Cancer Society, Maryland https://donate.cancer.org/?campaign=honormemorialbutton&giftType=hon&_ga=2.247278916.1306310955.1678224286-872447029.1678224285 in Sammi’s honor would be appreciated. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at on this website for the Olmo family.