Alma DeMezza

Alma was born in the Polish Bridesburg section of Philadelphia, PA on April 30, 1927 to Mary (Burczynski) and Albert Konkolewski, who were original parishioners of St. John Cantius Roman Catholic Church. Alma grew up in a home on Thompson Street across from the church, where she would watch the beautiful weddings on Saturdays, and had fond memories of feeding chickens with her sweet “Babcia” grandmother and spending happy times with her cousins. Alma’s mother Mary had an entrepreneurial spirit and operated a dry goods store, then a candy & ice cream shoppe in the storefront section of their home, which even had a telephone to place the daily ice cream orders from Breyers, later working in the watch & glove departments at Wanamaker’s in Center City Philadelphia. Alma loved take the train on her own or with the kids to meet her Mom at Wanamakers for lunch in the cafeteria or staff lunchroom. Alma’s father Albert who attended Temple University, was quite artistic in decorative painting and woodworking, and worked at the Philadelphia Mint, in the shipyard during World War II and at local stocking and clothing factories.

As a child of the depression in the 1930’s, Alma loved to roller and ice skate, walk 1 ½ hours to the library, and go to the 10 cent movies to watch Shirley Temple and black & white Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers dancing movies while eating penny bags of candy. Alma attended St John Cantius grade school, then Philadelphia Girls High School on Spring Garden Street, which took one hour and 2 trolley cars each way. Alma often walked into Center City from high school to window shop at Wanamaker’s, Lit Brothers and Snellenberg’s department stores. After graduating high school, Alma worked at Ninth Bank & Trust in the Kensington section of Philadelphia. She briefly went to New York to pursue a modeling career, but returned to Philadelphia and became Miss Kelvinator presenting the latest modern refrigerator models at trade and home shows...

Alma loved to go to the Sunday dances at St. Bonnie’s church in 1946 after World War II ended, held to help the servicemen get used to regular life, where she would dance the night away to music played by great live orchestras. It was there that she met her future husband Francis, who served in the U.S. Army in the Philippines from 1943 through 1945, during the Philippines Liberation. They married on November 27, 1948 and in 1957 moved from Oxford Circle in Philadelphia to become an original Levittown home owner in the Highland Park section. There they raised their family of 4 children. She was an active parishioner of Queen of the Universe Church in Levittown from its’ inception until her death. Always a hard worker, Alma got a job in the optometrist department at the Pomeroy’s store in Levittown in the 1960’s, then later worked at Philadelphia Savings Fund Society Bank at Five Points in Levittown before becoming a travel agent. Alma inherited her mother’s entrepreneurial spirit and opened Voyager Travel Agency of Bucks County in Fairless Hills in 1976.

Alma loved to travel and adventure with her family on wonderfully memorable trips to Europe, North Africa and the Caribbean. Alma also spent many happy times at the New Jersey shore: crabbing with her father in Ocean Gate in the 1930’s, taking the train to Atlantic City in the 1940’s with her friends, seashore vacations with her family to Wildwood, Ocean City and Long Beach Island in the 1960’s through 1990’s, and boating and boat watching in Forked River in the 2000’s. Alma loved to cook big delicious dinners for her family and treasured spending happy times with them. Alma was a proud grandmother to 4 grandchildren and enjoyed seeing her three beautiful granddaughters continue to wear dresses tailored by her sister Claire Schwartz, who designed and manufactured girl’s dresses from the 1940’s through the early 2000’s. In her later years, Alma work part-time, volunteered at St Michaels’ Church Mary’s Cupboard food pantry and the Middletown Township Senior Center, and enjoyed bus trips to Atlantic City and other destinations with her husband and the senior groups. She was a member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the VFW Post 1597 Joseph A Schumacher Post, Croydon, of which her husband was a member and Flag Bearer for Military Services. Alma was also a member of the Middletown Red Hat Society and had lots of fun with the girls on their outings and events.

Alma will be remembered as a very strong woman who showered everyone she met with love, admiration, compliments and sweetness. She was patient, kind and peaceful. She had a beautiful spirit, a positive outlook and was full of vim and vigor. Alma put up a great battle to live all the way to the end of her 98 years, despite trying times. She had amazing strength though her last breath. She was a devoted wife and loving mother who was always there for her family. She will be so dearly and lovingly missed by everyone who knew her. We love you and we’ll miss you Babe!!

Alma is preceded in death by her parents, her husband Francis (Gene), brother Chester Konkolewski and sister Claire Schwartz. Alma is survived by her son Cary DeMezza of Merchantville, NJ, daughters Pamela Hunsberger and husband Ron of Port Charlotte, FL, Rosalie DeMezza of Fairless Hills, PA and Adrienne Hunter and husband Brian of Allentown, NJ. She was also the devoted grandmother to Kimberly DiMaio and husband Paul, Christian Hunsberger, Lauren Soss and husband John, and Dana DeMezza. She was great-grandmother to Kimberly’s children, Sebastian and Vivienne Aimone.

A visitation for family and friends will be held on Tuesday, July 15, 2025 from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM at James J. Dougherty Funeral Home, Inc., 2200 Trenton Rd, Levittown, PA 19056. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:30 AM at Queen of the Universe, 2443 Trenton Rd, Levittown, PA 19056.

A burial will follow at 1:30 PM at Washington Crossing National Cemetery, 830 Highland Rd, Newtown, PA 18940.

In lieu of flowers, please make a memorial donation in Alma's name to Center for Dementia Research, CDR.RFMH.org, noting “In Memory of Alma DeMezza” OR Penn Memory Center www.PennMedicine.org/PMC Mail: 3535 Market St. Suite 750, Philadelphia, PA 19104. Make check payable to: Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, “In Memory of Alma DeMezza”.